Public Assistance Scheme

Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef asked the Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (a) how many families and individuals are currently on the Public Assistance Scheme; (b) how does this compare to the numbers over the last four years; (c) how many of these families and individuals are the same ones carried forward from year to year and how many are new additions; and (d) how many have been able to leave the scheme and become financially independent.

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The Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (Mr Chan Chun Sing): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Public Assistance (PA) scheme provides long-term financial assistance to individuals and families who have little or no means of support, including those who are permanently not able to work due to age, disability or serious illness. Most Public Assistance beneficiaries are elderly persons and those with disabilities.

The number of households on the Public Assistance scheme has been fairly stable over the past few years. Today, we have about 3,000 Public Assistance households. There were 2,942 households on the scheme in 2010; 2,930 in 2009; 2,886 in 2008 and 2,930 in 2007.

There has been a small increase in the number of new households placed on Public Assistance each year. In 2010, 397 new households were placed on Public Assistance, compared to 375 in 2009; 292 in 2008 and 278 in 2007.

Over the same period, an average of 354 households exited the scheme. Of those who exited the scheme in 2010, about four in 10 had passed away. Another 40% who were no longer able to live independently were admitted into Government-funded nursing homes or institutions, where they received full Government subsidies.

Given the profile of PA beneficiaries, only a very small number would leave the scheme because they have attained financial independence. Less than 2% left the scheme when their financial status improved after they became eligible for regular payouts, for example from the Central Provident Fund (CPF). About 1% left after their children grew up and started working.

Most Members are familiar with the PA scheme given its longer history. Let me take this opportunity to emphasise that it is just one of the many assistance schemes we offer. There are many other assistance packages, available to needy Singaporeans, depending on their needs. Under ComCare, for example, MCYS extends financial assistance to Singaporeans who require temporary assistance to tide over a difficult period, for example, while they are looking for a job or recovering from an illness. Families typically receive help for varying duration, ranging from three months to 24 months.

Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef: Sir, I thank the Minister for the answer. Can I just find out, on average, how much does the Government spend per PA recipient per annum? And, secondly, is it compulsory for all PA recipients to be tagged to a Family Service Centre in the vicinity of their home?

Mr Chan Chun Sing: Mr Speaker, Sir, the assistance that the Government gives to every Public Assistance person depends very much on the circumstances. We know that for the cash outlay, it is about $400 but that does not include the other forms of help that the Government agencies provide to them. These include rental subsidies and medical subsidies. As to the attachment of a PA recipient to a Family Service Centre: yes, indeed, we would like it to happen where possible because we know that people who are on Public Assistance are not only in financial distress. Many of them would have many other issues that require help. And it is on this note that we would like to work with the community and other agencies located around the people who need help to extend their help to these people in a holistic manner.

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Dr Lily Neo (Tanjong Pagar): Mr Speaker, may I ask the Minister whether the eligibility for Public Assistance scheme be made more humane in order to accommodate more people on long-term needs?

Mr Chan Chun Sing: Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank the Member for the supplementary question. Yes, we in MCYS are constantly looking at various ways to help more Singaporeans in need. These include those not just the Public Assistance (PA) scheme but all our schemes. We are constantly reviewing the criteria that we use to assess the eligibility of the recipients. And my assurance to all Members of this House is that if you find somebody and you know of somebody who needs help in any way, form or manner, if he does not fit into any of our schemes at any point in time, let us know because that might be a reason for us to review the scheme or it might also require us to be more creative in finding other ways to help our fellow Singaporeans. So we are constantly doing this on a day-to-day basis to make sure that we extend help to all Singaporeans who need that help.