Eligibility for GST Vouchers and Assurance Package Payments for 2023 and 2024 and Appeals Received
Ministry of FinanceSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the number of Singaporeans ineligible for 2024 GST Voucher (GSTV) and Assurance Package (AP) payments based on 2022 income who would qualify using 2023 data, and the status of their appeals. Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong explained that Year of Assessment (YA) 2023 is used for August 2024 payments because YA 2024 tax assessments are processed progressively through March 2025. Consequently, the full number of citizens who would turn eligible under YA 2024 is currently unavailable, though the government considers appeals on a case-by-case basis for those with income changes. As of end-August 2024, approximately 3,000 appeals relating to income changes were approved for the GSTV – Cash scheme to ensure support reaches those in greater need. Successful appeal figures for the AP Cash are not yet available as those payments are scheduled for disbursement in December 2024.
Transcript
5 Ms Mariam Jaafar asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) what is the number of Singaporeans who are not eligible for GST Vouchers and Assurance Package payments in 2024 based on their income in 2022 as assessed for Year of Assessment 2023 but who will meet the income eligibility criteria based on their income for 2023 as assessed for Year of Assessment 2024; and (b) how many of them have received the GST Vouchers and Assurance Package payments on appeal.
Mr Lawrence Wong: The assessable income is used to assess each individual's means to ensure more support under the Goods and Services Tax Voucher (GSTV) – Cash and the Assurance Package (AP) Cash schemes, are targeted at those who are in greater need. The choice of Year of Assessment (YA) considers the availability of completed tax assessment data, to ensure consistency and fairness in allotment across the population.
We used assessable income for YA 2023, that is, income in 2022, to determine eligibility for GSTV – Cash paid in August 2024, as income tax assessments for YA 2024 are processed progressively from April 2024 to March 2025. Hence, the full number of Singaporeans who would turn eligible, if we had used assessable income for YA 2024, is not yet available. While some Singaporeans would become eligible for the schemes if assessable income for YA 2024 is used, a proportion of Singaporeans would also become ineligible, due to increases in their assessable incomes.
Singaporeans who experience changes to their income may come forward and appeals will be considered on a case-by-case basis. As of end-August 2024, about 3,000 appeals relating to income changes have been approved for the 2024 GSTV – Cash scheme. The number of successful appeals for the AP Cash is currently not available as it will only be disbursed in December 2024.