There are a lot of services that an elderly may need and caregiving is a long and tedious journey. Lack of basic financial protection may be a problem and costs may depend on your care arrangement. Nursing homes may cost approximately $1,200 to $3,500 a month, daycare centers may cost about $900 to $1,500 a month and home care services can range from $20 to $25 an hour.  This does not include other additional costs such as travel expenses and medical fees assistance. Also, assistive devices such as hearing aids, wheelchairs and spectacles which can help improve the quality of life of the elderly care recipients are costly. This is why it is important to know more about the senior care financial assistance schemes that Singapore citizens and their family members can receive to support their loved ones.

Home Caregiving Grant (HCG)

The Home Caregiving Grant (HCG) gives monthly cash withdrawals to eligible Singaporeans amounting to $200 monthly. The goal of this is to help families who require assistance in caring for their loved ones experiencing who are moderately to severely disabled.

Home Caregiving Grant vs Foreign Domestic Worker Grant

The Home Caregiving grant actually replaces the Foreign Domestic Worker (FDW) Grant as part of the new Caregiver Support Action Plan by the Ministry of Health. Some key information between these two caregiving assistance are:

• Both grants are given to those who require permanent assistance with three or more Activities of Daily Living (ADLs).
• Both grants require that the care recipient must be a Singapore Citizen or a permanent residents  with a parent, child, or spouse who is a Singapore Citizen. Although in the FDW grant, the FDW employers had to be Singapore citizens caring for a PR who is more than 65 years of age, thus making it more stringent than the HCG.
• For the Means-Testing Assessment, the household monthly income per person should be $2,800 or less; or the annual value of the property for households without income is $13,000 or less.
• The FDW grant provides a monthly cash payout of $120 for families who need to hire an FDW. On the other hand, the HCG gives a $200 monthly cash payout which can also be used to cover the other medical costs of senior care and caregiver support services aside from hiring a foreign domestic worker. Such payout can also be used for dental clinics and medical bills.

Criteria for Grant Qualification

The eligibility criteria for the HCG include:

• Nationality: Must be a Singapore Citizen or a Permanent Resident with a parent, child, or spouse who is a Singapore Citizen
• Residence: Lives in Singapore and must not be in a residential long-term care institution (e.g. nursing home)
• Means Tested: Monthly household income per person should be $2,800 or less, or the annual value of the property for households without income is $13,000 or less.
• Has at least a permanent moderate disability and always requires assistance with at least 3 of the 6 Activities of Daily Living.

What is Permanent Modern Disability?

If an individual is unable to perform at least 3 ADLs without assistance, they are considered to have a permanent modern disability (this also qualifies them for senior mobility and disability grants). The  6 Activities of Daily Living include:

• Washing or bathing
• Dressing
• Feeding
• Toileting
• Mobility or walking and moving around
• Transferring

How to apply for HCG?

1) Go to the AIC website and fill up the HCG Application Form

On the website, you will see the Long Term Care Schemes Guide & Application Form. Download this and fill up the application form. Make sure to read the terms and conditions before filling up.

2) Update your household information

Through the MOH Household Check Website, you can update your household information. Check if you have been means-tested. You may also allow eligibility checks on your financial information.

3) Undergo a disability assessment

This is a requirement for all HCG applicants. For this, you can visit a General Practitioner (GP) or visit your local clinic to obtain a Functional Assessment Report (FAR).

4) Submit your application documents

Ensure that you have filled out the application form and have completed all the required documents like the Functional Assistance Report and other supporting documents. You may log in to AIC’s eService portal (EFASS) with your Singpass for a shorter waiting time for application approval.

What happens after I submit my application?

Once you have submitted your application, you will be informed of the results via mail to your registered address. If you are successful, the monthly payout will be credited to your bank account.

Caregivers Training Grant (CTG)

Caregivers Training Grant or CTG provides caregivers with $200 to enroll in training courses of their choice. You can choose any course as long as it is approved by the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC). If you apply for the CTG in the year 2022, you can use it only for a year (April 1 to March 31). Any remaining amount will not be carried over to the next year. Also, the same amount will be provided regardless of whether there are more than one caregiver Singapore caring for the same care recipient. CTG is actually one of the cash assistance schemes which Singapore citizens can receive to support their family members.

What are the benefits of the Caregivers Training Grant?

• The CTG allows you to equip yourself with the necessary skills and knowledge to care for your loved ones and provide for their physical and emotional needs. 
• With the money provided by the CTG, you don’t have to worry about the financial burden of training anymore. 
• The training sessions will help you better understand the condition of your loved ones by providing resources and detailed information that will teach you how to manage conditions such as autism and dementia. Bear in mind that family support is very important in situations like this.
• Overall, this will help you care more effectively and efficiently because you know what you are doing.

Criteria for Grant Qualification

The eligibility criteria which must be met for CTG are:

• Care recipient
  • Must be a Singapore Citizen or a Permanent Resident
  • Must be aged at least 65 years old, OR certified to have a disability by a doctor
• Caregiver
  • Must be the main caregiver (can be an immediate family member or a foreign domestic worker) looking after the care recipient
  • Must complete any of the CTG-approved training courses and receive a certificate of attendance if there is one

What courses can I attend under the Caregivers Training Grant?

The list of available courses can be found on the AIC e-calendar. There are home-based courses that can be taken online through a computer or other electronic devices. There are also class-based courses wherein the trainer can conduct the class in a group classroom setting.

How to apply for CTG?

The application form can be downloaded online. If you have already chosen a course to attend, the instructor can provide a copy of the form for you and can also turn in the application form. Submit the application form at least two weeks before the start of your training course.

Foreign Domestic Worker Levy Concession

What is the foreign worker levy?

The foreign worker levy or “levy” is a means to regulate the number of foreign domestic workers in Singapore. An FDW Employer is not required to pay the Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions for helpers but a monthly levy should be paid by them.

Levy rate

The concessionary rate only applies if you qualify for levy concession and to families with a young child, elderly member or person with a disability.

When and how do I pay the levy?

You can pay the levy every month via the General Interbank Recurring Order (GIRO). On the 17th of the following month or the next working day, if it falls on a weekend or public holiday, the levy will be deducted from your bank account. Make sure to maintain enough enabling fund in your account before the deduction date. If you will use other methods, you must pay the levy for each month by the 14th of the following month.

What are the penalties for not paying the levy?

• You will pay a penalty of 2% per month or $20, whichever is higher. 
• Your total late payment penalty will be capped at 30% of the outstanding levy.
• Your helper’s Work Permit will be revoked and you won’t be allowed to apply for or issue a new Work Permit, or even renew an existing Work Permit.
• To recover the unpaid levy, you may face legal action.

Criteria for Foreign Domestic Worker Levy Concession Qualification

The Foreign Domestic Worker (FDW) Levy Concession for Persons with Disabilities is part of the package to support Singaporeans needing care. This is also one of the financial assistance schemes which can be availed by qualified Singapore citizens. Under the FDW Levy Concession, instead of $300 a month, it lets families pay the FDW concessionary levy rate of $60 a month. It is capped at 2 helpers per household and granted based on 1 eligible person per household.

An employer can qualify for levy concession if you live with any of the following who is a Singapore citizen: 

• Young child below 16 years old.
• An elderly person who is at least 67 years old.
• A person with disabilities (PWD) who is certified by a Singapore-registered doctor to require help with at least 1 activity of daily living (ADL)
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How to apply for Foreign Domestic Levy Concession?

You can apply online if the eligible care recipient is a family member or relative or other person needing caregiver assistance from a migrant domestic worker (or, alternatively, refer to services like that offered by Retire Genie). If you are a Singapore Citizen or your spouse is and you live in the same household with your parent, parent-in-law, grandparent or grandparent-in-law who is a Singapore permanent resident and at least 67 years old, you can also apply online. For PWD, the application is through the Agency for Integrated Care. The processing time is usually 4 weeks.