28,000 lower-income workers to get NTUC help with expenses

About 28,000 lower-income workers can apply for a payout of up to $150 under a National Trades Union Congress aid package to defray daily expenses amid higher inflation.

Eligibility for the nearly $3.7 million NTUC Care Fund (Special Assistance) Programme, and the payout sum, will depend on a person's income and whether the applicant - who must be a union member - is living with family members or not.

Those who live with family members and have either a monthly gross household income of not more than $3,400, including overtime and allowances, or per capita income of $850 and below, will get $150.

Those who do not live with family members will get $60, if their monthly personal gross income is $1,500 and below, including overtime and allowances.

They can apply from tomorrow to Sept 30 at https://ucare.ntuc. org.sg/assistance/

Successful applicants will receive the cash via bank transfer within 30 days of application.

The financial support comes from the NTUC-U Care Fund, which was set up to consolidate the labour movement's fund-raising efforts. It has disbursed more than $110 million to workers since its launch in 2009.

NTUC deputy secretary-general Desmond Tan unveiled the programme yesterday at an annual education awards ceremony held by the Singapore Industrial and Services Employees' Union. Over 250 of its members' children received bursary awards at the NTUC Centre in Marina Boulevard.

Mr Tan, who is also Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, said: "We hope that this programme, coupled with the government support measures, will go some way to bring relief to our members as we walk this journey with them."

He added that Singapore and its workers have every reason to be proud and confident of their pandemic response, citing findings from American think-tank Pew Research Centre released earlier this month. They showed the majority of Singapore residents feel more united than before the pandemic.

He told reporters the cash payout will provide flexibility to recipients over how to offset their cost-of-living pressures.

Ms Ismalinda Mohamed Sidik, 46, a mother of three children aged eight to 16, expressed gratitude for the $150 cash.

The senior shipping officer said: "With two growing teenagers, as well as my youngest child, what we are eating is much more than before." She said she will use the payout on staples such as rice and oil, and extra pocket money for her children. "We can go to any place, like Popular, to buy things for school," she added, referring to the bookshop chain.

Bellhop Ranger Lim, 64, said: "Costs of necessities are on the rise and I am experiencing an increase in household expenses." The divorcee is a father of three children aged 24 to 40.

The member of the Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union added: "If I am successful in my application, this additional support will be helpful in offsetting some of these higher costs."

The NTUC-U Care Fund (Covid-19) programme gave out $18.2 million to over 35,000 members in 2020 and 2021. The fund has also provided e-vouchers for grocery and school expenses.