More places in sheltered workshops, independent living pilot started for people with disabilities
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Financial assistance will be increased, with higher subsidies and a raised income ceiling to help more families afford disability services.
ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
SINGAPORE - People with disabilities (PWDs) and their caregivers will receive more support, as the Government adds new places in sheltered workshops and day activity centres to meet growing demand.
Financial assistance will also be increased, with higher subsidies and a raised income ceiling to help more families afford disability services. New initiatives will support independent living and long-term planning for PWDs, including pilot programmes for assisted community living.
Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development Eric Chua gave these updates on support measures for this group of people.
Here are the highlights from his speech during the debate on the Ministry of Social and Family Development’s budget on March 6.
1. New places in sheltered workshops
In 2024, 100 new places were made available in sheltered workshops (SWs), with 880 more to be added at SWs and day activity centres (DACs) from 2026 to 2027.
MSF said this means it is on track to add 1,000 additional places to these facilities by 2030, as previously announced in 2024.
DACs are community-based facilities for those with disabilities who are aged 18 and above and cannot work, while SWs provide work skills training and job support for PWDs who can work, but are not yet ready or unable to take up open employment.
Mr Chua said about 3,600 PWDs currently attend DACs and SWs, and the waiting time from referral to enrolment in SWs is over half a year on average.
A growing number of people are waiting for slots. According to figures given in Parliament in February, there are 130 adults with autism spectrum disorder on the waiting list for eight DACs that cater to them, up from about 80 in 2024.
Nominated MP Kuah Boon Theng, whose 21-year-old son has autism, said that the additional places would still not come close to fulfilling actual demand, adding: “We need an aggressive expansion of facilities and a commitment to eliminate waiting times altogether.”
Pointing out that 3,000 special education school places will be added by the early 2030s, Ms Kuah said graduating students should have available placement options to ensure seamless transitions.
2. Subsidies for more people attending DACs
From July 2026, the Government will increase subsidies for residential and community disability services by up to 15 per cent and 10 per cent respectively.
The income requirement to qualify for subsidies will also be raised, so households with per capita income of between $3,601 and $4,800 will also be eligible, said Mr Chua, adding that these plans were announced in Budget 2025.
He said this would provide additional financial relief for 3,800 PWDs utilising these services, including those attending DACs.
Ms Kuah said that for DACs which cater to those with high support needs, even with current subsidies, the fees are still “unaffordable to many in the sandwich class”.
3. Helping PWDs live independently
A pilot of a programme which supports people with disabilities to live independently in the community, instead of being institutionalised, began in December 2025.
Under the Enabled Living Programme (ELP), PWDs who cannot live with their families and need support, such as lower-income individuals whose aged caregivers have died, live in pairs in public rental flats.
They receive on-site services for daily living, such as basic supervision, financial guidance, and coaching on independent living and social skills.
The ELP is now operating in Ang Mo Kio, Woodlands, Lengkok Bahru, Bedok North and Jurong West, run by different service providers such as the Autism Resource Centre (Singapore), or ARC, and MINDS.
Mr Chua said a pilot for another scheme, the Home Support Programme (HSP), which provides similar support to PWDs living near ELP sites whose caregivers may soon be unable to care for them, will start in the second half of 2026.
MSF told ST it has received several indications of interest, adding that the ELP and HSP can serve up to 250 clients across five sites.
Ms Denise Phua (Jalan Besar GRC), who is also president of ARC, suggested having a “family life navigator model” to help families with higher needs plan housing options and long-term care, among other arrangements.
4. $5,000 sponsorship to set up trust accounts
Lower- and middle-income caregivers of people with disabilities will get a $5,000 sponsorship from the Community Chest for the initial capital to open a Special Needs Trust (SNT) account.
SNTC is the only non-profit organisation which provides trust services for PWDs. Families follow a plan to save money into the PWD’s account, which will be used to fund their long-term care needs when their caregivers die.
Separately, from April 2026 to March 31, 2031, eligible families with per capita income of up to $3,600 can apply to receive a dollar-for-dollar matching grant for top-ups to SNTC trust accounts, up to $10,000. This initiative was first announced in Budget 2025.
Correction note: In an earlier version of the story, we said that PWDs under the ELP receive financial assistance instead of guidance. This has been corrected. We also changed the term Special Needs Trust (SNT) accounts.
