Home Caregiver Grant Singapore
A "Caregiver Grant Singapore" refers to the "Home Caregiving Grant (HCG)", which provides financial assistance to households caring for a family member with a permanent moderate disability, offering a monthly cash payout to help cover caregiving expenses like hiring a foreign domestic worker or accessing community care services; eligibility is based on household income and the care recipient's needs for daily living activities.
Introduction to the Home Caregiving Grant in Singapore
1. Why you may need Home Care services
One of our values when we have grown up is taking care of our parents as they age. While we care for our elderly loved ones at home, you may also find your hands full trying to balance work and caring for your kids at the same time.
To ensure our loved ones, especially those with stroke, Parkinson’s Disease and other high care needs, receive proper medical attention, we may need professional elderly care services such as nursing services, physiotherapy, or just some help to accompany your loved one for his/her medical appointments.
While part time caregivers or foreign domestic workers can help, the costs can be worrying. Fortunately, there are grants in Singapore that can help to defray the costs of caring for a loved one at home.
By 2030, about one in four Singaporeans will be 65 years old and above. Many of them prefer to age at home and to be in familiar surroundings where they are closer to loved ones for comfort and support.
While our loved ones choose to live and receive care at home, they may also require extra help, especially if they are diagnosed with conditions such as late-stage Parkinson’s Disease, stroke, advanced dementia or even cancer. When they are unable to perform independent tasks such as bathing, eating, dressing or moving about the house, a caregiver may be required to help them with their Activities of Daily Living (ADL).
2. What is Home Caregiver Grant?
The Home Caregiving Grant (HCG) has been enhanced, with monthly payouts of up to $400 per month. This is to recognise caregivers’ contributions and further reduce caregiving costs.
To be eligible for the Home Caregiving Grant, the care recipient must be a citizen or Singapore permanent resident who is also living in the same household as the applicant and not in a residential long-term care institution such as a nursing home.
The applicant will also need to be Means-Tested by the Ministry of Health to show that their household monthly income is less than $2,800 per person, or that their annual value of the property¹ is $13,000 or less.
Please refer to the table below for more information.
How to Qualify Home Caregiving Grant in Singapore
To be eligible for Home Caregiving Grant (HCG) in Singapore, the care recipient must meet the following criteria:
Nationality
- Must be a Singapore Citizen; or
- Permanent Resident (with a parent, child or spouse who is a Singapore Citizen)
Lives in Singapore
Means Tested
- Household monthly income per person is $3,600 or less; or
- Annual value of property for household without income is $21,000 or less
- Those with multiple properties will receive the lower HCG payout of $250 per month
Not in a residential long-term care institution (e.g. nursing home)
Requires Assistance with Activities of Daily Living
Permanently requires some assistance with at least three of the six Activities of Daily Living. These six activities are:
- Feeding
- Dressing
- Toileting
- Washing
- Walking or moving around
- Transferring from bed to chair and vice versa
3. Introduction to Pioneer Generation Disability Assistance Scheme
If you are qualified for HCG and Born before 31 December 1949, you will be able to obtain The Pioneer Generation Disability Assistance Scheme (PioneerDAS). This scheme is part of the Pioneer Generation Package, which honours what Singapore’s Pioneers have done for the country. Under this scheme, Pioneers who have disabilities can receive $100 a month, which they can use for expenses.
How to Qualify
To be eligible for PioneerDAS, the care recipient must meet the following criteria:
Lives in Singapore
Requires Assistance with Activities of Daily Living
Summary
A little bit of help can go a long way when caring for your loved one at home. The Home Caregiving Grant can be used to offset the costs of home care services, allowing you peace of mind and quality time with your loved one.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) will implement the Home Caregiving Grant (HCG) to provide more financial support for caregiving in the community. Caregivers can also shorten the activation time to access respite care through Go Respite, a new pilot pre-enrolment system.
These are part of the Caregiver Support Action Plan announced by MOH in February 2019. The Action Plan strengthens support for caregivers in areas such as caregiver respite care, financial support and care navigation.