Forum: Single unwed mums and their children need fairer treatment

I refer to the article “

About 745 children born out of wedlock annually to Singaporean mothers in past 5 years

” (Oct 15), which said the Government does not differentiate benefits that support children’s growth and development based on their parents’ marital status.

On paper, that may sound fair. In reality, single unwed mothers – the sole caregivers and breadwinners – face structural and financial penalties at every turn, and when the caregiver is disadvantaged, the child inevitably is too.

Single unwed mothers are excluded from key tax benefits such as the Parenthood Tax Rebate (up to $20,000 per child) and Working Mother’s Child Relief ($8,000 to $12,000 yearly). A married mother with the same income can offset thousands in tax each year.

A single unwed mother, already carrying the full weight of caregiving, pays more tax and receives less support.

Married parents receive $11,000 to $13,000 in Baby Bonus cash gifts. Single unwed mothers receive none.

While Child Development Account benefits exist, they require the mother to save first before receiving matching funds – a major barrier for single-income households. If the child was born before September 2016, there’s no CDA at all.

In housing, married couples enjoy priority access to Build-To-Order flats and generous grants. Single unwed mothers face restricted eligibility, limited grants and delayed access, and must shoulder the entire mortgage alone.

This means paying more for fewer options and, in many cases, having no choice but to rent long term. These unstable arrangements make it even harder to provide a secure and consistent home for their child.

Beyond policies, there is the daily reality: Single mothers work to keep their households afloat, juggle full-time caregiving, shoulder rising costs, and navigate bureaucratic hurdles – all without the financial buffers or privileges married couples take for granted.

They are punished twice: once by circumstance, and again by the system.

This is not about special treatment. It is about fair treatment. No Singaporean child should have a smaller future because his mother stands alone.

Lam Yi Lee