Total Value of Unclaimed CDC Vouchers Per Household in 2024
Ministry of Culture, Community and YouthSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the total value and nature of households with unclaimed 2024 CDC Vouchers as raised by Ms He Ting Ru. Minister Edwin Tong Chun Fai reported that 97% of approximately 1.3 million eligible households claimed their vouchers by 31 December 2024, marking the highest claim rate since the digital scheme's inception. He noted that over $1.3 billion was spent across the 2023 and 2024 tranches, with expenditures split almost equally between heartland merchants and supermarkets. Reasons for unclaimed vouchers include residents living overseas or digital barriers, for which the government provides assistance and an appeals process at community centres. Minister Edwin Tong Chun Fai also emphasized that all NRIC holders must report address changes to prevent fraudulent claims and ensure vouchers reach the correct households.
Transcript
45 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) what is the total value of CDC Vouchers 2024 that are unclaimed on 31 December 2024; and (b) what is the breakdown of the nature of households who have these unclaimed CDC Vouchers.
Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai: Since January 2023, the Community Development Council (CDC) Vouchers have been split equally between the hawkers and heartland merchant category and the supermarket category. This strikes a balance between supporting Singaporean households with their daily expenses and supporting hawkers and heartland merchants.
Across the 2023 and 2024 tranches of CDC Vouchers, more than $1.3 billion worth of CDC Vouchers have been spent. Of this, about 49.6% were spent at heartland merchants and 50.4% were spent at supermarkets.
Every Singaporean household can only claim one set of CDC Vouchers per tranche. Some Singaporean households might be unable to claim their CDC Vouchers for a variety of reasons. For example, when more than one Singaporean household resides in the same rental address or their registered address is not a residential address.
Singaporean households living in co-tenanted premises are not disadvantaged as long as they can provide proof of their separate households. In such cases, the household that has yet to claim their vouchers may make an appeal at any community centre or club.
If Singaporean households experience difficulty in claiming their CDC Vouchers digitally, they can bring along their National Registration Identity Card (NRIC) showing their current registered address, the CDC Vouchers Scheme notification letter and relevant official documents showing their name and current address, for example, utilities bill, property tax, to the nearest community centre or club to apply for their vouchers.
Under the Regulation 11A of the National Registration Act, all NRIC holders need to report a change of address within 28 days of moving into a new residence, whether the residence is located in or outside of Singapore. Singaporean households who come across previous owner or occupants who did not update their address with the authorities after they have moved out and have made false claims of the CDC Vouchers, may report the incident to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority and the Police.
For CDC Vouchers Scheme 2024, as of 31 December 2024, 97%, or about 1.3 million Singaporean households had claimed their CDC Vouchers 2024 (January) and (June), which is the highest claim figures since the launch of the digital scheme in 2021. There remains a small group of households that did not claim. For example, households whose residents are living overseas. The CDCs continue to work on ensuring all eligible Singaporean households can claim and spend their vouchers by reaching out especially to digitally less-savvy residents.
The Government remains committed to ensuring that the CDC Vouchers Scheme best serves Singaporean households and local businesses. We will continue to monitor its implementation and review where needed to ensure its effectiveness.