Update on LUP Status for Blocks Determined to be Unfeasible and Application Rate for Enhanced LHG
Ministry of National DevelopmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the progress of the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) and the utilization of the enhanced Lift Access Housing Grant (LHG). Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong and Mr Ang Wei Neng asked about the remaining blocks without direct lift access and the response to the $80,000 grant. Minister Chee Hong Tat stated that while LUP was announced for six blocks in 2025 with 40 more planned, 100 blocks remain unfeasible due to costs exceeding $200,000 per unit. He reported that LHG applications increased to 18 within eight months of the April 2025 enhancement, compared to the previous average of 11 per year. HDB is exploring new technologies for the remaining blocks and encourages residents with urgent mobility needs to apply for the enhanced grant.
Transcript
59 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for National Development (a) of the approximately 140 HDB blocks identified in 2025 as lacking direct lift access, how many were offered the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) in the past year; and (b) what is the current number of blocks where same-floor lift access remains unfeasible due to technical or cost constraints.
60 Mr Ang Wei Neng asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether there has been an increasing number of applications for the enhanced Lift Access Housing Grant (LHG) that pays up to $80,000 since April 2025; and (b) if not, whether HDB plans to conduct more outreach efforts to inform the relevant HDB flat owners about the enhanced LHG.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: Since its introduction in 2001, the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) has been successfully implemented in the vast majority of more than 5,300 Housing and Development Board (HDB) blocks originally built without direct lift access on every floor.
In 2025, LUP was announced for six blocks. There are plans for LUP to be extended to about 40 more blocks progressively. Thereafter, there will be about 100 blocks which have not benefitted from LUP due to high costs, costing more than $200,000 per benefiting unit. HDB will continue to explore new technologies to provide direct lift access to remaining blocks, where feasible.
To further support residents in these blocks who are in urgent need of direct lift access due to medical conditions or mobility reasons, the Lift Access Housing Grant (LHG) has been raised from $30,000 to $80,000 in April 2025, for residents to buy another flat with direct lift access. In the eight months after the LHG enhancement in Apr 2025, HDB received 18 LHG applications. This is an increase from the 11 applications received per year prior to the enhancement.
Residents staying in units without direct lift access who face mobility challenges can approach HDB for assistance on their LHG application.