We thank Mr Young Pak Nang for his suggestion to simplify subsidy processing so lower-income families can benefit from higher pre-school subsidies (Dispense with means testing for lower-income families to get pre-school support, March 12).

We agree with Mr Young’s sentiment, and have been improving our processes to make things simpler and more convenient for disadvantaged families.

Means testing helps to ensure that more assistance can be channelled to those who are most in need. We seek to provide such means-tested subsidies without imposing undue inconvenience on these families. 

Today, parents do not need to submit income documents when applying for pre-school subsidies if they are salaried employees with Central Provident Fund contributions, or self-employed persons with a Notice of Assessment from the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore.

Families that reside in public rental housing or are receiving ComCare assistance automatically qualify for maximum pre-school subsidies, without having to submit additional supporting documents.

At Budget 2024, the Government announced that from the fourth quarter of 2024, all lower-income families with a gross monthly household income of $6,000 and below will automatically qualify for the maximum amount of childcare subsidies for their income tier. This move will further reduce the need for many eligible families to submit supporting documents.

The Early Childhood Development Agency will continue to refine the processes for subsidy application and means testing so all families, especially lower-income families, can benefit from grants and subsidies they are eligible for more easily and conveniently.

Wendy Ang
Director, Sector Planning
Early Childhood Development Agency