More
Singaporeans receiving social assistance: MSF
SINGAPORE: More needy Singaporeans applied for and received
social assistance from the Government in FY2014, said the Ministry
of Social and Family Development on Thursday (Dec 17).
Needy Singaporeans received about S$116 million of financial
help between Apr 1, 2014 and Mar 31, 2015 from ComCare, the
Government’s social assistance scheme, said MSF. This was an
increase of 10 per cent from the previous financial year.
ComCare offers various schemes for needy families and
individuals, including vouchers and subsidies to support education
and living expenses, as well as employment assistance.
More people applied for short-to-medium term assistance over the
past three financial years, said MSF. The percentage of households
living in one- and two-room flats receiving such help increased
from 43.5 per cent in FY2012 to 46.8 per cent in FY2014. In
addition, 55.8 per cent of one- to two-persons households received
short-to-medium term help in FY2014, up from 51.4 per cent in
FY2012.
More than half of the applicants for short-to-medium term help
were married and in their 40s and 50s, and 64.6 per cent of them
had below GCE N- or O-Level education. Among the applicants, only
26.2 per cent of them were employed.
The short-to-medium term assistance scheme is for needy
households who are temporarily unable to work due to illness or
having to care for dependents. Under the scheme, the households can
receive vouchers for expenses such as transport and rent, a monthly
cash grant, medical assistance and help in job search or
training.
Among those receiving long-term assistance, nearly two-thirds
were single and aged 65 and above. The majority – 67.9 per cent –
of them lived in one- and two-room HDB flats, MSF said.
The long-term scheme is mainly for needy Singaporeans who are
unable to work due to old age or illness. Under the scheme, the
needy can receive cash assistance for their daily expenses and
their children will be able to get help with schooling
expenses.
ComCare is funded by the ComCare Endowment Fund, which currently
stands at about S$1.7 billion.
- CNA/xq