On May 26, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat announced the Fortitude Budget.

Totalling S$33 billion, the Fortitude Budget was one of four budgets that were announced in 2020.

One area of financial support that Singapore residents look forward to is the S$100 utilities credit for households.

All households with at least one Singaporean member will receive a one-off Solidarity Utilities Credit of S$100.

It is meant to thank Singaporeans for staying home during the circuit breaker period.

This credit will cover all property types – whether HDB or private – and will be credited in the July or August utilities bill.

This, however, isn’t the only support that families and households in Singapore will get.

Here’s a quick recap on what they will receive by the end of the year.

Enhanced Care and Support Package

U-Save Rebates

About 940,000 Singaporean HDB households will receive double their regular GST Voucher – U-Save this financial year (FY2020), through a one-off GST Voucher – U-Save Special Payment.

This forms part of the government’s efforts to help Singaporeans with their household expenses.

There will also be more help for bigger households later in the year.

Eligible households with five or more members will get an additional voucher rebate, receiving a total of 2.5 times their regular voucher rebate in FY2020.

Service and Conservancy Charges (S&CC) Rebate

The Service and Conservancy Charges (S&CC) rebate will be extended for another year, where eligible HDB households will receive between one and a half months and three and a half months of rebates, depending on the flat type.

The S&CC rebate will be disbursed every three months, starting in April 2020.

Eligible households can look forward to the next portions of payouts in Jul. 2020 and Oct. 2020.

Workfare Special Payment

Singaporeans on the Workfare Income Supplement scheme will also get an increased payout of S$3,000 in cash under the Workfare Special Payment.

This sets out to provide more financial support for workers who earn less.

There will be two equal payments of S$1,500 each in Jul. and Oct. 2020 respectively.

Grocery Vouchers

To help those with less cope with their daily expenses, Grocery Vouchers worth S$300 in 2020 will be given to Singaporeans aged 21 and above, who live in 1-room or 2-room HDB flats.

For 2020, these vouchers will be disbursed in Oct. and Dec. 2020.

In addition, there will be another S$100 worth of Grocery Vouchers given out in 2021.

Solidarity Payment and other cash payouts

In April, all Singaporeans aged 21 and above this year would have received the S$600 Solidarity Payment, which serves as immediate assistance to tide households through this uncertain period by putting more direct cash in hand.

Remaining cash payouts of either S$300 or S$600, which came under the enhanced Care and Support Package, were disbursed around June 18 for lower-and middle-income Singaporeans.

Singaporean parents with at least one Singaporean child aged 20 and below this year also received an additional cash payout of S$300.

There was an additional cash payout of S$100 to all Singaporeans aged 50 and above this year, in replacement of the PAssion Card Top-up that was earlier announced.

Silver Support Scheme

The Silver Support Scheme was launched in 2016 to top up the retirement incomes of the bottom 20 per cent of Singaporeans aged 65 and above, as part of a wider suite of schemes put in place to support elderly Singaporeans.

Enhanced at Budget 2020 to allow more seniors to benefit, the scheme will now cover households with a monthly income per person of not more than S$1,800. The earlier threshold was S$1,100.

With the enhanced Silver Support Scheme, quarterly cash payouts for seniors aged 65 and above will be increased by 20 per cent from Jan. 1, 2021.

Eligible individuals will receive up to S$900 per quarter, depending on their assessment.

Notably, there is no need to apply for the scheme. The first payout for 2021 under the enhanced scheme will be given in Dec. 2020.

For self-employed and unemployed individuals

During this period of economic uncertainty, the government is providing assistance for those whose livelihoods have been affected.

Covid-19 Support Grant

Covid-19 has affected jobs and livelihoods.

Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents who are in need of greater financial relief and assistance can also consider the Covid-19 Support Grant.

Applicants would qualify should they have suffered a loss of income or been put on no-pay leave for at least three consecutive months, as a result of the economic impact of Covid-19.

Self-Employed Persons Income Relief Scheme (SIRS)

Under SIRS, eligible self-employed persons will receive S$9,000 in total, which will be disbursed in three cash payments of S$3,000 each.

Eligible applicants would have received a notification of the first S$3,000 payout on May 27.

Two more payouts will be given in Jul. and Oct. 2020.

Emerging stronger together

Times may be tough, but there is help available to tide households through this difficult period, with more support given to those with less.

What’s more important is that we must all band together to weather this period of uncertainty.

Those who can afford to lend a helping hand should do so, so that we can emerge stronger together.

Meanwhile, here’s an infographic for more details on the enhanced support for households:

This sponsored article has made the writer look forward to the Solidarity Utilities Credit next.

Top image from Clean & Green Singapore.