Applications for temporary Covid-19 recovery grant to begin on June 3

Eligible workers financially impacted by the latest Covid-19 curbs can receive a one-off payout of up to $700. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG

SINGAPORE - Applications for the Covid-19 Recovery Grant (Temporary) (CRG-T) will begin on Thursday (June 3) and end a month later on July 2.

The grant, announced last Friday, is meant to assist lower- to middle-income workers who have been financially impacted by the latest Covid-19 restrictions.

Eligible workers who have been placed on involuntary no-pay leave for at least a month from May 16 to June 30, or who have suffered an income loss of at least 50 per cent for at least a month over the same period, may apply for the CRG-T.

Those eligible will receive a one-off payout of up to $700.

CRG-T is a supplement to the existing Covid-19 Recovery Grant (CRG), which was launched on Jan 18 to support lower- to middle-income workers and self-employed people affected by the coronavirus pandemic, Finance Minister Lawrence Wong said at a press conference last Friday.

In a statement on Monday, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) said the eligibility criteria for the CRG-T are similar to those of the CRG, with two key differences.

First, CRG-T applicants must have income loss of at least 50 per cent for one month or be placed on involuntary no-pay leave for at least a month between May 16 and June 30. This compares with an average income loss of at least 50 per cent or involuntary no-pay leave for at least three consecutive months for CRG applicants.

Second, CRG-T applicants do not have to show proof of job search or training, unlike CRG applicants.

MSF said individuals cannot receive both the CRG and CRG-T concurrently, as CRG-T is meant for those who are not receiving support in June 2021.

Likewise, individuals who are currently receiving support from other Covid-19 support schemes, such as the Covid-19 Driver Relief Fund, are not eligible for the CRG-T.

In a Facebook post on Monday, Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli said: "The CRG-T adds to a suite of assistance schemes that the Government has introduced since last year, to support Singaporeans through the pandemic.

"After one's CRG-T assistance ends, CRG-T recipients could still qualify for CRG support if they continue to require help and meet the eligibility criteria."

Applications for CRG remain open until Dec 31.

Under CRG-T, employees who are placed on involuntary no-pay leave for at least one month will receive a one-off payout of up to $700.

Employees who are facing salary loss of at least 50 per cent for at least one month and self-employed people facing net trade income loss of at least 50 per cent for at least one month - compared with their average monthly net trade income in 2019 or 2020 - will receive up to $500.

More details are available at this website.

The CRG-T application portal will open at 9am on Thursday and close at 11.59pm on July 2.

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