Proportion of Legal Aid Bureau Assistance in Deputyship Applications for Low-income Families in Past Three Years

Mr Cai Yinzhou asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether the Ministry has assessed barriers faced by low-income families in the deputyship process under the Mental Capacity Act, including legal costs, medical report requirements and the simplified track's consent requirement; (b) what proportion of deputyship applications were assisted by the Legal Aid Bureau in each of the past three years; and (c) what steps are being taken to improve access.

Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Currently, an application for deputyship under the simplified track costs around $540, comprising a $40 Court filing fee and around $500 for mental capacity assessment, depending on the fees charged by public hospitals.

Lower-income families requiring financial assistance with the deputyship application may approach the Legal Aid Bureau (LAB), a department in the Ministry of Law, or charitable organisations, such as Pro Bono SG. From 2023 to 2025, the LAB provided legal advice and aid to about 750 Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents for matters related to the Mental Capacity Act, including but not limited to deputyship applications.

In 2025, the Ministry of Law also amended the Legal Aid and Advice Act to apply the legal aid means test on the mentally incapacitated person when an altruistic non-next-of-kin deputy applies for deputyship. This will allow more cases to qualify for assistance by LAB.

The best way to avoid the hassle and cost of a deputyship application is to make a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA). We recently made the LPA Form 1 application permanently free for Citizens and encourage everyone to make an LPA as soon as possible.