MINISTRY OF SOCIAL AND FAMILY DEVELOPMENT (Committee of Supply)
Dr Lily Neo (Tanjong Pagar): On my second clarification, the Minister earlier said that there will be assistance for retirees who are on subsistence living due to very low CPF pay-outs, and that now this group will be eligible for Public Assistance or ComCare. I would like to thank the Minister for that. May I ask the Minister whether he knows the number of such cases that had been rejected by CDCs or MSF for the past few years, as I had quite a few in my ward, and whether such cases now can be recalled to give them the due assistance?
Mr Chan Chun Sing: Madam, the answer to Dr Lily Neo’s first question is yes, definitely, which is why we started the vulnerable families pilot, which is why we started the SSOs. As the Member has said, we want each case to be managed according to their needs. What the Member has also mentioned very importantly is this: it is not just the cash pay-out that is important. What is most important is to solve the underlying issues: is it one of holding down a job? Is it one of health issue? Housing issue? Education? And so forth.
This is the reason why the SSO has taken upon itself to do the case management for the community. This is the reason why we want to start the vulnerable families pilot with 500 families as the pilot in the first place to allow the different agencies including MND, MOE, Police and so forth to come together to look at the specific issues faced by the individual or family; to help them stabilise their situation, and then they move out from there. Our long-term goal is not to have more and more people on the ComCare scheme. Our long-term goal is to have ComCare act as a bridge for them to get to a better future.
On the second issue: that has already been on-going for a very long while. First and foremost, we see whether the person qualifies for public assistance. If the person qualifies for Public Assistance, and if the person has CPF, we will then just top up the difference. If the person does not qualify for Public Assistance, we will then look into why they did not qualify for Public Assistance. Is it because they have family support? Or is it that they have other sources of income?
We will look through the cases, but one of the very difficult challenges that we always face in such issues is that they do have what we call family support in the traditional sense. That is, they have children; they have people who are family members who are able to help them. But very often, there is a breakdown in the family relationship. Very often, before we can even do that handout, we have to mediate and try to get the family members to come and join us in this work. Very often, sadly, we are not always successful to get the family to come and play their part.
For some of these cases, we have no choice, but to come in to help. Our ultimate aim is not for these family members to outsource their responsibilities to someone else, but to help the family to reconcile, so that they can help take care of each other. I am sure many Members will know that this is very challenging work. Sometimes, we run a risk. Because we are helping and these very un-filial family members know that we are helping, they harden their hearts. It is a very difficult thing, but it requires a fine balance of judgement in how best to help these families in need.
Never answer the question?
You can see from the above proceedings, that the Minister never answered MP Dr Lily Neo’s question – “May I ask the Minister whether he knows the number of such cases (public assistance) that had been rejected by CDCs or MSF for the past few years, as I had quite a few in my ward, and whether such cases now can be recalled to give them the due assistance?”
Was there an opportunity for Dr Lily Neo to follow-up to ask why the Ministe never answered her question about how many cases were rejected?
Public Assistance – About 3,000 remained almost unchanged for the decade?
In this connection, according to the Department of Statistics of Monthly Digest of Statistics – the number on Public Assistance was 3,164 in 2013. I understand that this number has remained almost unchanged at around 3,000 for about a decade already.
Why has the number on Public Assistance remained almost the same for the past decade or so, when the population, and in particular the aging population has increased so much?
50% rejection rate?
I understand that the last time that a reply was given and reported in the media – the rejection rate for Public Assistance applications was about 50%.
Public Assistance criteria
According to the Ministry’s web site – “The Public Assistance scheme offers long-term assistance to needy Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents (PRs). PA recipients are unable to work due to old age, illness, disability or unfavourable family circumstances, and often have little or no means of income and family support.
Eligibility Criteria
· Applicant must be a Singapore citizen or Singapore Permanent Resident
· Applicant is unable to work due to old age, illness or disability
· Applicant has no/little means of income and little or no family support
· Since 2008, needy elderly persons whose children are needy themselves and unable to support their parents, may apply for PA. The children must be supporting their own families and each have household income $1,700 or below
· Since 2010, elderly persons on CPF payouts are eligible for PA and this eligibility has been subsequently extended to those receiving Pension, Eldershield and Lease Buyback Scheme (LBS) in 2012. Their payouts should be lower than PA rates and all other criteria must be met.
Assistance Rendered
Tiers of Assistance
· Under the Primary tier of assistance, a monthly cash grant is provided to all PA households to support their daily living expenses. The Public Assistance rates will range from $450 for a single person household to $1,180 for a household of four persons.
· Under the Secondary and Discretionary tiers, greater help will be rendered to those with additional essential needs. This includes healthcare/hygiene consumables for elderly with special needs e.g. adult diapers, stoma bags, diabetic consumables and milk supplements.
· Families with children will also receive additional monthly assistance of $150 per child to cater for a school-going child’s expenses or a toddler/infant’s additional nutritional and hygiene needs.”
4 persons get $1,180 a month?
Looking at the above – Can a household of four persons make ends meet on $1,180 a month?
Leong Sze Hian
* Leong is the Past President of the Society of Financial Service Professionals, an alumnus of Harvard University, has authored 4 books, quoted over 1500 times in the media , has been host of a money radio show, a daily newspaper column, Wharton Fellow, SEACeM Fellow, columnist for Malaysiakini, executive producer of the movie Ilo Ilo (24 international awards). He has served as Honorary Consul of Jamaica and founding advisor to the Financial Planning Associations of Brunei and Indonesia. He has 3 Masters, 2 Bachelors and 13 professional qualifications.