30 April 2020
1 The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) had earlier announced that lower- to middle-income Singaporean Citizen (SC) and Permanent Resident (PR) employees who have lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 situation and continue to face challenges securing employment can receive help from the COVID-19 Support Grant.
2 To support more SC and PR employees who have been financially affected, MSF will expand the COVID-19 Support Grant to cover two additional groups
a. Employees placed on involuntary No-Pay Leave (NPL) for at least three consecutive months; and
b. Employees who have had sustained salary reduction of at least 30 per cent for three consecutive months.
3 These changes in employment or salary should have occurred after 23 Jan 2020, when the first case of COVID-19 was detected in Singapore. At the point of application, applicants should be unemployed, on involuntary NPL or have monthly salaries reduced by at least 30 per cent. The eligibility criteria for the COVID-19 Support Grant are listed in Annex A.
Extended ComCare Assistance
4 Current beneficiaries of ComCare Short-to-Medium-Term Assistance or Long-Term Assistance are not eligible for the COVID-19 Support Grant. Existing ComCare beneficiaries whose assistance is ending by July 2020 will have their assistance extended for a further six months without review, waiving the need for submission of new documents and signatures. Families on ComCare whose circumstances have changed during the COVID-19 situation may approach SSOs for a review of their current ComCare Short-to-Medium-Term support. Those who are newly placed on ComCare will receive at least six months of assistance.1
Grant beneficiaries to receive cash support and employment or training assistance
5 For those who have lost their jobs or are placed on involuntary NPL for at least three consecutive months due to the COVID-19 situation, the Grant will provide up to $800 per month for three months. The cash support quantum will be based on their last-drawn monthly salary, capped at $800. Grant recipients who have lost their jobs can also receive employment and training support from Workforce Singapore (WSG) or Employment and Employability Institute (e2i). Those on involuntary NPL will have access to relevant courses subsidised by SkillsFuture Singapore.
6 Employees who have lost at least 30 per cent of their monthly salaries in each month for at least three consecutive months can receive up to $500 per month for three months. The cash support quantum is based on the amount of basic monthly salary lost, capped at $500.
Grant applications to open from 4 May, individuals to apply online
7 In order to effectively process the expanded number of applicants, the COVID-19 Support Grant will be open for applications in two phases
a. From 4 May 2020 for those who lost their jobs or were placed on involuntary NPL for at least three consecutive months due to the COVID-19 situation; and
b. From 11 May 2020 for those who had their monthly salaries reduced by at least 30 per cent in each month for at least three consecutive months due to the COVID-19 situation.
8 Applications for the Grant should be made online at go.gov.sg/CSG, so as to minimise physical movement during the Circuit Breaker period. Applicants will need to upload their supporting documents showing their employment situation (e.g. letter from their company to show loss of job or being placed on involuntary NPL) and their previous and current salary levels (e.g. pay-slips to show 30 per cent loss of monthly salary after 23 Jan 2020). Those who need help filling in the online application form can call the ComCare Call hotline (1800-222-0000) or write in to Ask_SSO@msf.gov.sg for assistance. Those who are not able to apply online can approach their nearest Social Service Offices (go.gov.sg/ssolocator) to schedule an application slot. Those who applied for the Temporary Relief Fund and indicated interest in applying for the CSG, need not re-apply if they had earlier submitted all the necessary supporting documents.
9 Applications are open for five months until 30 Sep 2020.
10 The COVID-19 Support Grant, together with other support schemes under the Solidarity Budget (e.g. Job Support Scheme, Self-Employed Person Income Relief Scheme etc.), will provide support for workers and enterprises who have been affected in this time of economic uncertainty.
1 Some households may receive assistance for a shorter duration, if it is ascertained that within the next six months, they would be receiving other sources of income which they could tap on for their basic living expenses.