Raising Income Cap of $1,500 for Public Rental Housing

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for National Development whether the Ministry will consider raising the current income cap of $1,500 for public rental housing in view of the rising cost of living and the higher income caps of Government subsidies such as the child care/infant care subsidy and ComCare Short-to-Medium Term Assistance.

Mr Lawrence Wong: The income ceilings set for various Government subsidies serve different purposes, and differ based on the nature of help provided and the target population. HDB reviews the income ceiling and other eligibility criteria for HDB rental flats from time to time. This enables us to prioritise the rental flat supply to benefit low-income families who are without family support and other housing options.

In practice, HDB has exercised flexibility to enable some families with higher income get a public rental flat, if their circumstances are deserving of such assistance.