Simplifying Access to Home Caregiving Grant by Enabling Medical Social Workers or Doctors to Initiate Applications

17 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health (a) whether the Ministry will explore simplifying access to the Home Caregiving Grant (HCG) by enabling medical social workers or general practitioners (GPs) to initiate applications for eligible caregivers during healthcare encounters; with subsequent back-end verification; and (b) what outreach strategies will be taken to ensure all eligible caregivers can access the HCG and similar support.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: Healthcare professionals, like medical social workers and general practitioners, can already help eligible Singaporeans initiate applications for financial support schemes, like the Home Caregiving Grant (HCG). We have also made improvements recently to help more eligible Singaporeans access such schemes. For example, the Agency of Integrated Care has put in place a process to help care recipients who are undergoing a severe disability assessment identify schemes that could help them. Silver Generation Ambassadors will also continue to share about long-term care schemes with seniors during their ongoing home visits.