Last Updated on December 7, 2022 by Parentology
On top of available schemes based on individual situations, the Singaporean Housing and Development Board have made efforts to provide grants and loans to locals in an effort to subsidise housing and make a property more affordable so that more Singaporeans can have their own homes. New flats – Built to Order (BTO) flats, Sale of Balance (SBF) flats, and new Executive Condominiums – are subsidised quite generously even before the family grants, and accommodations are made for specific populations – larger families, the elderly, etc. – and subsequently housing grants for families can be provided as well, guided by many of the same supportive principles.
This article will cover housing grants for new flats (as defined above) and resale HDB flats, as well as how they can be applied.
General grants (applicable to both new and resale flats)
Enhanced CPF Housing Grant
The Enhanced Housing Grant (EHG) allows applicants who are applying for government housing for the first time to apply for a grant of up to $80,000 depending on household income. It works with any flat type and in any estate.
To qualify, the applicants’ average monthly household income for the last year (12 months) before their application must be under $9,000. They must also have been working continuously for those 12 months, and still be working at the time of submission. The amount afforded to applicants is based on household income as follows:
|
Average Monthly Household Income |
EHG Amount |
|
≤ $1,500 |
$80,000 |
| $1,501 – $2,000 |
$75,000 |
|
$2,001 – $2,500 |
$70,000 |
|
$2,501 – $3,000 |
$65,000 |
| $3,001 – $3,500 |
$60,000 |
| $3,501 – $4,000 |
$55,000 |
|
$4,001 – $4,500 |
$50,000 |
|
$4,501 – $5,000 |
$45,000 |
|
$5,001 – $5,500 |
$40,000 |
| $5,501 – $6,000 |
$35,000 |
| $6,001 – $6,500 |
$30,000 |
|
$6,501 – $7,000 |
$25,000 |
|
$7,001 – $7,500 |
$20,000 |
| $7,501 – $8,000 |
$15,000 |
| $8,001 – $8,500 |
$10,000 |
| $8,501 – $9,000 |
$5,000 |
Source: CPF Housing Grants for HDB Flats, First-Timer Applicants
The lease on the flat applicants are intending to purchase must have more than 20 years left, however, and it should have enough time to cover the youngest purchaser and their spouse or engaged partner until they are 95 in order to qualify for the whole Enhanced Housing Grant. If the lease does not cover applicants until they are 95, then the grant afforded will be pro-rated.
Finally, like with all the other schemes, the applicants must not own any property and cannot have disposed of any properties in the last two and a half years prior to their application.
Additional CPF Housing Grant (AHG) and Special CPF Housing Grant (SHG)
The AHG and SHG are only applicable for applications received prior to September 2019, but offer additional grants for first-timer households trying to purchase a flat. The AHG and SHG offer up to $40,000 each additionally to offset further costs and respectively have income ceilings of $5,000 and $8,500 to qualify. While the least must be 30 years or more, it is otherwise essentially the same and may be helpful to those who qualify.
As with the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant, the AHG and SHG amounts are pro-rated, and they can be found here.
Housing grants specifically for new flats (BTO, SBF, EC)
Family Grant (Family HDB Grant)
The Family Grant can be used for the purchase of an Executive Condominium (EC), but only applies to first-time applicants.
To qualify, your monthly household income must be under $12,000 and only applies to ECs purchased straight from developers – as such, applicants will need to book their ECs first in order to use the grant. It disburses up to $30,000 depending on your income level if both applicants are Singaporean Citizens, but cannot be used for singles. If one of the spouses is a Permanent Resident or non-citizen, the total monthly household income for both cannot be over $11,000, and only up to $20,000 may be disbursed.
Additionally, if one of the partners has previously been approved for an HDB grant while the other hasn’t, another option can be used – the Half Housing Grant can be used instead to qualify for half the funds of the Family Grant.
Housing grants specifically for resale flats
As before, resale flats qualify for the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant, Additional CPF Housing Grant, and the Special CPF Housing Grant. On top of that, the following are available as housing grants for resale flats.
Family Grant (HDB Resale Grant)
The Family Grant is also referred to as the HDB Resale Grant and is an HDB housing grant that allows either married couples or engaged couples to obtain additional financial assistance to purchase a resale flat.
To qualify, it must be the applicants’ first time purchasing a flat, and the total household income should be below $14,000 for couples. For couples who are both Singaporean Citizens, funds of up to $50,000 are provided if you are purchasing an HDB with 2 – 4 rooms, although only $40,000 is available if you are purchasing a 5-room flat. If one or both applicants are Singaporean Permanent Residents, only funds of up to $40,000 are allocated for 2 – 4 room flats, and $30,000 for 5-room flats and above.
Unlike other grants that emphasise children or the elderly, however, the Family Grant can also be used by singles using the Singles’ Scheme. The grants are slightly lower – applicants’ income ceilings should be at a maximum of $7,000 and only up to $25,000 is afforded for single applicants.
Proximity Housing Grant
The Proximity Housing Grant, or PHG, is applicable for couples who will be living near their parents and is therefore often paired with schemes such as the Multi-Generation Priority Scheme (MGPS) or the Married Child Priority Scheme (MCPS).
There are no income ceilings for the grant, can be used by first-time and second-time applicants, and can also be used by singles. As with the MGPS and MCPS, you will need to live within 4km from the other party (your parent or your child), and they will need to remain at that location for the minimum occupancy period (MOP), which is usually around 3-5 years depending on your flat.
You can obtain up to $30,000 as a grant if the whole family moves in together, or up to $20,000 if you live separately from them within that 4km radius. The amount is halved if you are single, and you can only use this grant once.
Additional benefits regarding grants
First-timer couples using the above grants who are full-time students, recent graduates, full-time National Service members, or recently-completed National Service members may apply for a flat and defer their income assessment for housing grants and loans until around the time of their key collection.
