Singapore to give every child nearly $70,000 in government support

The Singapore Government has announced a new child support package that will provide every Singaporean child with almost $70,000 in direct financial support from birth to age 17, regardless of birth order.

According to the Strait Times on Sunday, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced the $62,000 SG Child Support Package during his National Day Rally speech on August 23.

The package includes a $10,000 Baby Gift in cash and $32,000 in Child Credits, alongside a $5,000 Child Development Account First Step Grant, up to $5,000 in government CDA co-matching contributions and a $10,000 top-up to the child’s Post-Secondary Education Account.

Wong said the Government wanted to move beyond making small adjustments to existing family support schemes.

“The work is still ongoing. We are aiming for more than incremental improvements or changes to individual schemes. We want to make a fundamental shift in how we support families,” he said.

When combined with existing benefits, including the $5,000 MediSave Grant for Newborns and annual Edusave contributions during primary and secondary school, the new measures will bring the total direct financial support available to each Singaporean child to around $70,000 from birth to age 17.

This represents an increase from the current $27,500 to $56,500 received by children, depending on their birth order.

As of June, more than 610,000 children across about 380,000 households are expected to benefit from the measures.

Wong said the new system would simplify the existing family support structure, which varies depending on whether a child is the first, second or subsequent child.

“The schemes have become quite complex, and many parents find it hard to understand,” he said.

“We will make things simpler. Every child will receive the same level of support. We will provide more support not just at birth but throughout the years, as children grow up.”

Under the new package, the $10,000 Baby Gift will be paid in two instalments within 12 months of a child’s birth, providing additional financial assistance during the costly first year.

The $32,000 Child Credits will provide $2,000 annually from the year a child turns one until the year they turn 16.

The scheme replaces and expands the existing Large Family LifeSG Credits, which currently provide $1,000 annually for six years to each third and subsequent child.

Under the new arrangement, the annual payment will double to $2,000, continue for 16 years and become available to children regardless of birth order.

The CDA First Step Grant will provide $5,000, while parents will be eligible for up to another $5,000 through government co-matching contributions.

The CDA will also remain open until the end of the year a child turns 16, instead of closing when the child turns 12 under the current system.

When a child turns 17, the Government will provide another $10,000 top-up to their PSEA to help offset the cost of higher education.

The new package will also benefit Singaporean children who are already aged between one and 17 in 2026, with transitional arrangements put in place for children currently receiving support under existing schemes.

Large families with three or more children will continue to receive additional assistance, particularly in areas such as healthcare, transport and housing.

The Government is also studying ways to extend the existing $5,000 Large Family MediSave Grant to eligible large families that have yet to receive it.

The Ministry of Transport is expected to provide additional assistance for transport costs, while the Ministry of National Development is studying further housing support for large families.