We thank Forum writer Chan Lai Chun for the suggestions in the letter, "Increase value of retirees' payouts" (March 11).

The Singapore Allowance is an additional payment introduced in 1974 to help pensioners who draw lower pensions. Since its introduction, the Singapore Allowance has been increased 14 times, taking into account factors such as inflationary pressures. It was last increased in 2019.

The Government will continue to regularly review the Singapore Allowance and revise it where necessary.

Central Provident Fund (CPF) members, including non-pensionable retirees, may wish to opt for the CPF Life Escalating Plan which provides monthly payouts that increase by 2 per cent every year. This helps maintain the value of their payouts even as prices rise over the years.

Pensioners and other retirees will benefit from other forms of support, as announced at Budget 2022. These include the Household Support Package, which helps Singaporean families cope with cost of living pressures.

Lower-income seniors also receive more support under the Assurance Package for goods and services tax (GST) and the permanent GST Voucher Scheme. The benefits include cash payouts, utilities and service and conservancy charges rebates, Community Development Council vouchers and MediSave top-ups.

Seniors who had low incomes during their working years and now have less in their retirement can also benefit from quarterly cash supplements of up to $900 under the Silver Support Scheme.

In addition, eligible seniors under the Pioneer Generation Package and Merdeka Generation Package receive lifetime benefits for their healthcare in their silver years.

Allan Phua

Director, HR Policy

Public Service Division

Prime Minister's Office