900,000 households to get GST Vouchers in July

About 900,000 Singaporean households will each receive a GST Voucher to offset part of their utility bills in July.

Households in one-and two-room Housing Board flats will receive $95, while those in three-room flats will get $85, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday.

Families living in four-room flats will receive $75, those in five-room flats, $65, and those in executive or multi-generation flats, $55.

Households whose members own more than one property are not eligible for this GST Voucher.

The Utilities-Save (U-Save) rebate is one of three components under the permanent GST Voucher scheme, which aims to help lower overall household expenses. It is distributed every three months.

The rebate is expected to cost the Government $280 million in a year, starting from July this year.

Through this scheme, households in one-and two-room Housing Board flats will be able to receive support equivalent to about three to four months of their utility bills on average.

Those living in three-and four-room flats will be given support equivalent to one to two months of utility bills, the ministry said.

It was previously announced in Budget 2018 that eligible households will receive an additional $20 a year for three years, from next year to 2021.

This amount is aimed at helping households to adjust to the carbon tax when it is implemented from next year.

"The increase in U-Save will cover the expected average increase in electricity and gas expenses for Housing Board households arising from the introduction of the carbon tax," the ministry added.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 03, 2018, with the headline 900,000 households to get GST Vouchers in July. Subscribe