Singaporean households to get $234 vouchers under cost-of-living support scheme from Jan. 2
The Community Development Council vouchers, which will be valid until year-end, can be claimed online. Half of the amount may be used at participating hawkers and heartland merchants, while the remaining half is for spending at participating supermarkets, according to the council’s website.
Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong had announced at Budget 2025 that about 1.3 million households would receive SGD800 in CDC vouchers.
People cycle along the promenade at Marina Bay in Singapore on October 13, 2023. Photo by AFP |
Of this, SGD500 was disbursed in May last year, with the remaining SGD300 scheduled for this month. The initiative forms part of the Assurance Package aimed at helping Singaporeans manage cost-of-living pressures.
Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said Friday that although the past year had been challenging, Singapore had performed better than expected due to the combined efforts of workers, businesses and the Government, according to The Straits Times.
The Singapore economy is estimated to have expanded by 4.8% last year, supported by strong performances in sectors such as manufacturing, wholesale trade, and finance and insurance.
Gan, who is also Minister for Trade and Industry, said Singapore must remain clear-eyed about the challenges ahead, even as global supply chains are being reconfigured, trade policies become more fragmented, and technology, particularly artificial intelligence, reshapes business operations and job creation.
He warned that economic growth in the coming years is likely to be more uneven and uncertain.
Concerning the CDC vouchers, this year there are 24,000 participating hawkers and heartland merchants, up from 23,000 in 2023, as well as eight supermarkets operating about 400 outlets.
CDC vouchers were first introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic to thank Singaporeans for their solidarity during a difficult period and to support local businesses. The scheme has since been extended beyond the pandemic to help cushion the impact of rising prices on households.
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