Is ComCare edible? Is it better than sliced bread? Almost everything, explained.

Help. What is ComCare?

ComCare is a fund under the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF).

It provides social assistance to low-income individuals and families.

If you find yourself in a situation where you’re struggling to make ends meet, ComCare might be able to help you.

So, what kind of support can ComCare give me?

There are many kinds of support you can get from ComCare, from financial assistance — both long and short-to-medium term, to student care and childcare fee assistance.

Who can apply for Long-Term Assistance (LTA)?

ComCare LTA is for Singapore citizens or permanent residents (PR) that might need help for the long-term, because they are unable to work due to old age, illness, or disability, and have little to no income or family support.

Elderly are eligible if they are receiving only small monthly payouts (less than what ComCare would give them) from other sources, and their children have low incomes and are unable to support them (household income of $1,900 per month or less, or per capita income of $650 or less).

How about Short-to-Medium-Term Assistance (SMTA)?

ComCare SMTA provides temporary financial support for low-income individuals or families who are searching for work or temporarily unable to work.

Just like LTA, SMTA is open to Singapore citizens and PRs. If the applicant is non-Singaporean, they must have at least one immediate family member who is a Singapore citizen.

In assessing eligibility for ComCare SMTA, officers from MSF’s Social Service Offices (SSOs) look at household income (S$1,900 per month or less, or per capita income of S$650 or less), as well as whether the applicant has inadequate support from family and community.

What will the SMTA support look like?

The SSO officer will work with you to understand your family’s needs, expenses and incomes to see how best to help you.

You may be provided with assistance such as monthly cash for living expenses, help with household and medical bills, employment assistance, and referrals to other government agencies and community partners.

Will the support be enough?

The assistance provided is based on empirical estimates of expenditures needed for basic living needs. MSF has just completed its latest review and has announced that people who require SMTA can expect an increase in their cash assistance if their assistance is renewed after July 2019 and their household circumstances remain unchanged or if they need more help.

There will also be an increase to cash assistance for those who require LTA

Is SMTA support one-size-fits-all?

SMTA is not a fixed amount. As each household has different needs, the SSO officer will work with you to understand your situation and provide help as required.

How much paperwork needs to be done?

Much less now.

From the second half of 2019, MSF is streamlining the application process for other government schemes for ComCare beneficiaries. This will be done through data-sharing arrangements between MSF and other agencies, such as HDB for assistance on rental fees, MOH for assistance on medical expenses, and MOE for financial assistance students attending ITE and mainstream schools.

For example, if you’ve already applied and been assessed for ComCare SMTA and you also want to apply for additional help with childcare, you don’t have to resubmit the same documents again.

With your consent, Social Service Offices will share the necessary information with the relevant agencies to facilitate your application.

How can I apply for Comcare?

If you or your family are in need, or if you know someone who is, please visit the nearest Social Service Office to apply for, or to enquire about, ComCare.

Some important documents that you’ll have to bring include your NRIC, latest payslips, household bills, and bank statements.

The full list of documents that you might need, as well as more information on ComCare and the assistance they provide, can be found here.

This sponsored post by the Ministry of Social and Family Development has reassured this writer that help is available for Singaporeans who are unable to support themselves.

Top image from MSF Singapore Facebook