Foreign Domestic Worker Grant Eligibility for Those with Mentally Disabled Parents Living in Separate Households

68 Mr Murali Pillai asked the Minister for Health whether the Ministry will consider equalising the treatment of assessing Foreign Domestic Worker (FDW) Grant eligibility for (i) FDWs employed by children of mentally disabled parents to take care of their parents at separate households and (ii) FDWs employed directly by parents who are compos mentis and living in separate households, through sponsorship of their children and, if not, why not.

Mr Gan Kim Yong: The Foreign Domestic Worker Grant (FDWG) provides a monthly grant of $120 to help families employ an FDW to care for their loved ones who require permanent assistance with three or more Activities of Daily Living. As the grant is targeted at lower- and middle-income households, employers with household monthly income per person of $2,600 or lower will be eligible for the grant.

Regardless of whether the FDW is employed by a family member living in a separate household, or the care recipient himself/herself, we consistently assess the means of the FDW employer's household in determining the eligibility for the grant. This allows us to take into account the needs of the employer who is directly responsible for paying the salary of the FDW. Nevertheless, we will also consider appeals from families who have extenuating circumstances and genuinely require financial aid.