The total comprises up to S$62,000 under the new SG Child Support Package and around S$7,500 in existing benefits, as announced by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at the National Day Rally 2026 on Sunday.
The new package consolidates and replaces financial support previously offered by two other schemes, according to the National Population and Talent Division.
Among its benefits are a S$10,000 cash gift for each eligible baby born on or after April 1, 2027, to be disbursed in two tranches within the first 12 months after birth, and S$2,000 in credits annually for the first 16 years of a child’s life, for a total of S$32,000.
Compared with current schemes, a firstborn child could receive S$42,000 more by age 17 while the increase for a third child would be S$19,000.
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Pedestians cross a bridge in the scenic Marina Bay area in Singapore on Sunday, July 31, 2022. Photo by NurPhoto via AFP |
The new package will provide the same level of support regardless of a child’s birth order, unlike existing schemes that offer greater benefits to children higher in the birth order. It will also extend cash support to children from single-parent families.
“As the benefits are intended to support the growth and development of children, they will be extended to all SC (Singapore citizen) children, regardless of birth order, family circumstances, or their parents’ marital status,” NPTD said, per Channel News Asia.
Additionally, the new scheme will extend support through a child’s 17th birthday, up from the current cutoff at age 12, while also giving more support in cash instead of credits.
More than 610,000 children aged 17 and under across 380,000 households are expected to benefit from the new package.
Singapore is stepping up support as its total fertility rate dropped to a historic low of 0.87 last year. The city-state is also on track to become a super-aged society this year, when those aged 65 and above are projected to make up 20% of the population.
Some factors frequently cited in family-planning decisions include the cost and stress of raising children, as well as the challenge of balancing work and family life.
As a result, the government has formed a workgroup to review its marriage and parenthood policies. It is also set to allocate nearly S$7 billion to related measures this fiscal year, Bloomberg reported.
At the weekend rally, several additional measures were also announced. Working parents with one child aged 12 or younger will be entitled to eight days of leave, rising to 10 days for those with two children and 12 days for those with three or more.
A working couple raising three primary school children, for instance, would have 24 days of leave between them, compared with four days under the current arrangement.
The government also plans to lower monthly fees for subsidized full-day childcare to S$150.
Wong said the changes are intended to provide support beyond the early stages of parenthood, noting that much of the existing assistance is concentrated around the time a child is born.
“Ultimately, the decision to have children is a deeply personal one. Policies alone cannot make this happen. But what we can do is make it easier for Singaporeans who want children to start and raise a family,” he said, as quoted by The Straits Times.
“And we want every family to know: if you choose to have children, the government will stand with you. We will provide more support, and over more years. And we will walk alongside parents throughout the journey of raising their children.”