Low-income families get $500 a quarter, financial support for further studies under ComLink+ pilot

SINGAPORE - Less educated individuals from low-income families will get financial incentives to further their education, in hopes of boosting their employment prospects.

The ComLink+ Skills Upgrading Support pilot gives recipients $500 for each quarter they are enrolled in a course of study, such as for a polytechnic diploma or a National ITE Certificate (NITEC).

They will also get financial support for basic living expenses if they stop work to study full-time or undergo vocational training. 

The pilot, which began in January, was announced by Minister of State for Social and Family Development (MSF) Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim on March 6 during the debate on the MSF’s budget.

It aims to benefit 100 participants, and can possibly be scaled up depending on outcomes, said MSF.

Mr Zhulkarnain noted that employment is one of the best ways to help low-income families work towards a better future, but these individuals may not have the educational qualifications to get better paying jobs.

He said: “Families bear some costs when they choose to upskill. For example, their income may be disrupted during their studies, and it is not certain that they will get a job with a higher salary after.

“MSF has observed that this deters some ComLink+ families from upskilling, even when they want to do so and even when they have the opportunity to do so.”

Hence, the pilot will offer support for “basic living expenses”, with amounts pegged to the Government’s financial assistance scheme, the ComCare Short-to-Medium Term Assistance.

For example, a sole breadwinner who is supporting a non-working spouse and two children in primary school will get about $2,000 a month for basic living expenses, said an MSF spokesperson.

The pilot targets those aged between 18 and 39, who have dropped out of school to work or are in jobs with lower wages, whose families are on the ComLink+ scheme. They can receive support for up to three years, depending on course length.

ComLink+ is a national push to boost social mobility by giving low-income families financial incentives and other support to reach goals, like securing employment, sending their children to pre-school regularly or owning a home, with the help of a family coach or case worker.

The courses they take should improve their job prospects. These include selected vocational courses, such as the WSQ Higher Certificate in Healthcare (Nursing) or the Advanced Certificate in Early Years offered by the National Institute of Early Childhood Development.

MSF said no one will be denied the chance to study if they cannot afford the course fees, and it will provide financial support where existing subsidies and bursaries do not fully cover the costs.

Mr Zhulkarnain said the MSF is reviewing how to provide tailored support in job matching for lower-income families, who find it harder to land suitable jobs given their needs and circumstances.

Mr Zhulkarnain also said the MSF will redouble its efforts to boost social mobility, in response to concerns raised by MPs such as Mr Xie Yao Quan (Jurong Central), Mr Melvin Yong (Radin Mas), Ms Mariam Jaafar (Sembawang GRC) and Mr Cai Yinzhou (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC).

This comes after a Ministry of Finance paper released in February which showed that the percentage of children born to fathers in the lowest 20 per cent of income earners who remained in that same income bracket as adults has inched upwards over time.

He also outlined MSF’s approach to helping low-income families, from providing a safety net in the form of financial aid schemes when they fall on hard times to offering a “steadying hand” to help them get back on their feet.

The ministry also described its “supported ladder” of opportunities to help families build up their resources, such as through the ComLink+ Progress Packages.

In his Budget speech in February, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced changes to the Progress Packages for Employment and Pre-school, including higher cash payouts and new intermediate milestones.

Some 11,000 families on the ComLink+ scheme currently will benefit from a new Partnership Payout, getting $500 every quarter for continuing to work towards their goals, Mr Zhulkarnain said.

Mr Zhulkarnain noted feedback from Mr Yong that some low-income families face multiple and complex problems, making it difficult to qualify for the incentives in the Progress Packages despite their best efforts.

Hence some changes were made, said Mr Zhulkarnain, to further motivate families to take part and make the incentives more attractive. For example, families will be assessed on their total household income, instead of individual income, as part of the Employment Package, which rewards families with cash and CPF top-ups for maintaining stable jobs.

This is meant to recognise collective family efforts and offer more flexibility for those facing complex challenges.

MSF said that in 2025, 1,300 families received payouts under the Employment Package.

Ms Serena Lim, a 28-year-old divorcee who lives in a one-room HDB rental flat with her eight-year-old son, was placed on the Employment Package in January.

Earning about $2,600 a month as an accounts assistant, she is pursuing a part-time degree in finance and accounting to improve her job prospects.

Ms Lim, who will get $550 in July under the Employment Package, said the money will help fund her studies. She had previously taken a study loan and borrowed from her friends to pay for her degree course, which cost about $20,000.

She said: “The incentives are attractive, and I don’t have to worry so much about money.”

She is also thankful for the Student Care Fee Assistance for her son, paying just $34 a month after subsidies.

All this while, her family coach, Mr Roushan Helmy, has been her “cheerleader”, she said, informing her about help available, organising bonding activities with her son and discussing ways to improve her prospects.

“As a single mum, it’s quite a hardship to work, study part-time and look after my son,” she said. “It helps to have support in working towards a goal. So I don’t feel like I’m alone.”