Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui asked the Minister for Social and Family Development whether the Ministry is considering reviewing the household income and per capita income criteria for ComCare assistance in view of rising inflation against a backdrop of slower economic growth.
Answer
1 ComCare provides assistance to low-income households for their basic living expenses. Households that need help to tide over temporary financial difficulty are provided with ComCare Short-to-Medium-Term Assistance (SMTA).
2 While there is an income eligibility criterion for ComCare SMTA, the criterion is not a hard threshold to qualify for assistance. Rather, our SSOs assess the needs of individuals and families holistically, and exercise flexibility as needed to provide the necessary financial assistance and community support.
3 MSF reviews the ComCare eligibility criteria every two to three years. The last review was conducted in 2019, and we will review the ComCare eligibility criteria sometime this year.
4 Building an inclusive and caring society is a collective effort. The community plays an important role in partnering the Government in helping those in need. If anyone encounters a neighbour, friend or family member who needs support, they can call the ComCare hotline at 1800-222-0000, or refer them to the nearest SSO or Family Service Centre for assistance.