Percentage of Household Expenditure Defrayed by Home Caregiving Grant

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Ms Ng Ling Ling
MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC

Question No. 400

To ask the Minister for Health (a) what percentage of average household expenditure does the Home Caregiving Grant help to defray; and (b) whether there are plans to review the quantum given rising costs of living.

Written Answer

In October 2019, the Ministry of Health introduced the Home Caregiving Grant (HCG) to provide additional support for long-term caregiving needs in the community. The HCG provides a monthly $200 cash grant to defray the costs of caregiving for eligible individuals with permanent moderate disability. The HCG replaced the Foreign Domestic Worker (FDW) Grant of $120 per month, which could only be used to defray the cost of hiring an FDW. The HCG can be used flexibly for caregiving expenses, for example, to hire an FDW, for the use of eldercare services, or for transport to medical appointments. 

The HCG is one of many financial support measures that can help to defray caregiving costs and other expenses. Other support measures include means-tested subsidies for long-term care services and subsidies for assistive devices and home healthcare items via the Seniors’ Mobility and Enabling Fund. For severely disabled Singaporeans, other schemes such as CareShield Life and MediSave Care also provide monthly cash payouts. Families who need further help with caregiving expenses can approach the AIC Link or the Social Service Office for further assistance.