Amount of Support Provided to Seniors in Past Five Years

13 Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) in the past five years, what is the total amount of support, including financial assistance, healthcare programmes and social support initiatives, that the Government has provided to our seniors; (b) whether there are any plans in place to further assist seniors in coping with the rising cost of living; and (c) if so, what are the details of these initiatives.

The Minister for Social and Family Development (Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M): Mdm Deputy Speaker, based on data from the Department of Statistics, the estimated total amount of Government support provided between 2018 and 2022 to resident households with at least one Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident senior aged 65 years and above was $25.7 billion. This covered relevant healthcare, social support and housing-related Government transfers that households with seniors benefited from, such as the GST Voucher scheme, Assurance Package, Government top-ups to CPF, Pioneer and Merdeka Generation Packages, ComCare assistance and Silver Support.

The Government has introduced measures to help Singaporeans cope with cost-of-living concerns, such as the enhancements to the Assurance Package. Eligible seniors received up to $700 cash support in June 2023 from the Cost-of-Living Special Payment and Cost-of-Living Seniors' Bonus. Upcoming support includes the GSTV-Cash payments of up to $700, GSTV-MediSave top-ups of up to $450 in August 2023 and Assurance Package Cash payouts of up to $600 in December 2023.

Beyond cash support and subsidies, the Government will continue to work together with our community partners, such as the Silver Generation Office, to jointly engage and extend support to our seniors as needed.

Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Mohd Fahmi.

Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman (Marine Parade): I thank Minister for the very comprehensive reply. Just one supplementary question. Just wondering whether are there any plans to further reach out to our seniors, especially those who are frail and staying alone, especially on assistance such as giving them some healthcare within their home, for example, with diapers. I know that the Senior Mobility and Enabling Fund can be used, but I think we can do more in terms of communications or publicity to get them to understand that these are all assistance that they can actually get. So, I am just wondering whether are there plans to improve our publicity or communications plan?

Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Generally, our publicity and communications extend to not just the seniors but also their caregivers. So, the Government undertakes a wide range of communications efforts to raise awareness of the various support schemes available, including what I mentioned just now, the cost-of-living support. For example, the most recent cost-of-living support has been printed in newspapers, like The Straits Times, Lianhe Zaobao and on radio capsules, and we have also put them in summary graphics in digital display panels across the Housing and Development Board (HDB) estates and condominium developments. So, these are some of the things that we are doing. I know of grassroots leaders and their partners who are also helping out in other forms of publicity.

Most importantly, I think we know the Silver Generation Ambassadors who are under Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) are the main key contact points. These are not only those who have built relationships with our seniors and their caregivers, but they also know the kind of support available for them that can be suited to these seniors.

I hope that if in doubt and when we know our neighbours, perhaps, need some form of help and do not know where to get this help, particularly, if they are seniors, please contact AIC, Silver Generation Office Ambassadors. They will take it up and also be able to connect the seniors with other kinds of help beyond medical. For example, financial as well as housing needs.

12.29 pm

Mdm Deputy Speaker: Order. End of Question time. Introduction of Government Bills.

[Pursuant to Standing Order No 22(3), provided that Members had not asked for questions standing in their names to be postponed to a later Sitting day or withdrawn, written answers to questions not reached by the end of Question Time are reproduced in the Appendix.]