Number of Silver Support Scheme Beneficiaries

Mr Png Eng Huat asked the Minister for Manpower (a) as of December 2017, what is the number of residents placed under the Silver Support Scheme (SSS); and (b) what is the number of SSS recipients who are also receiving financial aid from the Social Service Offices.

The Second Minister for Manpower (Mrs Josephine Teo) (for the Minister for Manpower): Mr Speaker, the Silver Support Scheme was introduced in 2016 to support the bottom 20% of elderly Singaporeans aged 65 and above, with a smaller degree of support extended to up to the next 10% of seniors. The Scheme is targeted at seniors who had low incomes through life and who currently have relatively little or no family support. It complements the comprehensive range of Government schemes that help seniors with various needs such as housing, healthcare and retirement.

Over 152,000 seniors received Silver Support pay-outs in 2017. Of this, around 6,100 were also recipients of ComCare financial assistance.

Mr Png Eng Huat (Hougang): Thank you, Mr Speaker, Sir. Just a supplementary question, some Silver Support Scheme (SSS) recipients who are also SSO recipients shared with me that their financial aid from SSO was reduced by a corresponding monthly amount equal to their SSS pay-out. So, I would just like to ask the Second Minister, do the officers of SSS and SSO work together to determine the final quantum of financial aid, paid out to these selected recipients?

Mrs Josephine Teo: Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for his question. It really depends on what kind of support they are getting from the Social Services Office.

For example, if they are receiving ComCare long-term assistance, then in fact, it would not affect their eligibility for a Silver Support pay-out and vice versa. But there are recipients of ComCare Support who are receiving the support for only an interim period, for the short term. This is temporary relief. As a result, the Social Service Office will take into account all of the incomes that they have including what they may be receiving under Silver Support. So, it really depends on the individual circumstances.

The best way, I think, if Mr Png has encountered specific residents with such a question, is that they can refer the question to the Social Services Office, who would be quite happy to explain to the ComCare recipient the circumstances that are unique to him and how the pay-outs are determined.