SINGAPORE - While just over half of 1,000 Singaporeans and permanent residents polled felt the Government was doing enough to support less well-off families, only about one in four was willing to pay higher taxes for more support programmes.
The same survey also found that a majority felt the Government did not provide sufficient social support for the “sandwiched generation” – working adults who care for both elderly parents and children.
Those who most felt this way were aged between 35 and 44, followed by those in the 25 to 34 age group.
The 35 to 44 age group was also least willing to pay higher taxes for more support programmes (17 per cent).
This was according to findings from a survey commissioned by The Straits Times and conducted by market research firm Milieu Insight in September.
The survey was meant to gather Singaporeans’ thoughts on the six key pillars of the Forward Singapore nationwide engagement exercise. The pillars include jobs and the economy, health and social support, as well as environment and fiscal sustainability.
The others are education and lifelong learning, home and living environment, and the Singapore identity.
Of the findings, National University of Singapore sociologist Tan Ern Ser said the Government has always emphasised that more help will be extended to the low-income and vulnerable among Singaporeans.
He said: “It has indeed done so, as observed in the various annual budgets and, more prominently, in recent budgets and during the pandemic.”
It is understandable that those in the 35 to 44 age group are less supportive of paying high taxes as they are the ones with dependants to support, possibly including seniors, Associate Professor Tan added.
“They are also the ones who are in the thick of paying home and car loans, raising children, juggling work and home life, while trying to live the Singapore dream,” he said.
Ms Nydia Ngiow, managing director of strategic advisory consultancy BowerGroupAsia Singapore, said that with rising inflation expected to continue in the coming months, Singaporeans in the sandwiched generation will particularly feel the pinch of living costs, which could explain the lower willingness to pay higher taxes.
It could also reflect their expectation that the Government should shoulder a greater share of the costs for social support initiatives, she said.
NUS College vice-dean of special programmes and sociologist Daniel Goh said that given the dominant role of philanthropy and social service agencies in fighting against socio-economic inequality, as well as Singapore’s legacy of focusing on Workfare in lieu of direct welfare payments, the 23 per cent willing to pay more taxes to fund social support is a “very high percentage”.
The Government and the 4G leadership have said they are keenly aware of the challenges faced by low-income groups and those who have to care for both young and old, and want to scale up the coverage of help schemes.
On Oct 10, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said at a dialogue with social service practitioners that Singapore will refresh its measures to support lower-income groups, seniors and young families amid early signs that society is becoming more stratified.
He noted that, while significant moves have been made to reduce income inequality and sustain social mobility, more can be done.
