Top up the Minimum Sum in your wives' Central Provident Fund (CPF) accounts.

Manpower Minister Ng Eng Hen made this call yesterday in Parliament as MPs urged him to do more for Singaporeans who have little CPF funds - such as housewives and the self-employed - and are thus in danger of having no money in their old age.

When husbands top up their wives' CPF accounts, he said, the Government will be able to make matching contributions.

This is through the new Life Bonus scheme and the extra interest that such accounts will attract.

The Life or L-Bonus scheme is to enable those with low CPF balances to join the new national annuities programme, CPF Life.

Under the L-Bonus scheme, the Government gives out $4,000 to those with at least $20,000 in their Minimum Sum accounts when they enrol for CPF Life.

CPF Life gives participants an income every month for life. To start in 2013, it is compulsory for those with a Minimum Sum balance of at least $40,000 at age 55. Those with less can opt in.

Yesterday, Non-Constituency MP Sylvia Lim and Nominated MP Siew Kum Hong said not automatically including those with less funds could see the lower-income not benefiting from CPF Life. This would be 'ironic', said Ms Lim.

Responding, Dr Ng cautioned such persons should be brought onto the scheme 'on the correct terms'. He said: 'The cardinal principle...underpinning the viability of CPF Life must be that a member can spend only what he saves.'

But family members can help, since rules have been relaxed, and tax reliefs introduced to encourage top-ups for loved ones, he said.

Now, cash top-ups to the Minimum Sum will no longer be subjected to annual caps or restrictions on age and specific family ties. Members can also claim tax relief of up to $7,000 for top-ups to their own and family members' accounts.

Dr Ng illustrated the difference such top-ups could make.

Let us say a housewife has $8,000 in her CPF account.

If her husband tops up her account by $20,000 when she is 50, she stands to have $37,600 when she turns 65, the age at which she can start drawing an income from her Retirement Account and CPF Life annuities scheme.

The additional $9,600 is from the extra interest on CPF savings the Government is paying from this year and the L-Bonus.

Her husband can claim a tax relief of $7,000 and save up to $1,400 in taxes.

Dr Ng said the message the Government is sending out through such measures is simple and clear.

'Family members who can afford to should support one another.'