Reasons for Increasing Number of Families Receiving ComCare Help
Ministry of Social and Family DevelopmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Dr Lim Wee Kiak’s inquiry regarding the rising number of ComCare recipients, particularly senior citizens, despite increasing wages and whether this indicates a widening income gap. Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin explained that the increase stems from improved policy accessibility, expanded Social Service Office networks, and demographic shifts like an ageing population. He noted that income inequality remains stable when accounting for government transfers such as the Silver Support Scheme and MediShield Life subsidies. Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin detailed holistic measures including employment assistance via Workforce Singapore and social services like Senior Activity Centres. Furthermore, the Ministry is expanding upstream interventions for vulnerable children and reviewing financial planning efforts to strengthen the long-term resilience of low-income families.
Transcript
25 Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what is the reason for the increasing number of families receiving ComCare help, particularly among senior citizens, when mean wages and household income have been increasing; (b) whether this trend indicates widening income gaps; and (c) what measures can be taken to address this trend.
Mr Tan Chuan-Jin: Over the last few years, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) has enhanced the coverage and accessibility of ComCare assistance to help households in need. We have set up the network of 24 Social Service Offices (SSOs) island wide. We have also revised the income criteria of our help schemes. With these enhancements, more low-income families have benefited from ComCare assistance.
At the same time, the demographic profile in Singapore has been changing, with trends, such as smaller families, rising number of single-person households and ageing population, observed. These factors affect the ability of some families to cope and they may require temporary financial assistance to address their needs.
The increasing number of households on ComCare assistance does not necessarily indicate a widening income gap. Over the last five years, the Gini Coefficient has remained relatively stable, at 0.473 in 2011 and 0.458 in 2016. The Government has also provided additional transfers, such as Silver Support and MediShield Life premium subsidies, to help lower-income Singaporeans. This is reflected in the lower Gini coefficient of 0.402 in 2016 after Government taxes and transfers.
Our SSOs work closely with Family Service Centres (FSCs), other Government agencies and community partners to provide holistic support. For example, our SSOs partner Workforce Singapore (WSG) and the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) to provide the client with employment assistance to improve his or her employability and secure stable employment. Seniors in need can also benefit from Government-funded social services, such as Senior Activity Centres, befriending and counselling services. The Silver Support Scheme under the Manpower Ministry provides an income supplement to seniors who had low incomes through life and who now have little or no family support.
Beyond ComCare, we are also expanding upstream intervention to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable families and their children to set a good foundation. This includes supporting vulnerable children in their early years, encouraging work and helping workers level up their skills. We also recognise the importance of financial planning for the low-income and will continue to review efforts for this group.