CONTENT FAQS
How have the population policies in Singapore evolved over the years?
The beginning of family planning in Singapore
Family planning was unheard of in Singapore until a small group of public-spirited individuals started a voluntary organisation called 'The Singapore Family Planning Association' in 1949. In the early years, it was difficult to get people to accept family planning. Traditional values of large families as symbol of wealth, the need for heirs and sons to continue the family name, and religious and public opposition were the main reasons. It took time for people to be convinced that there was a need to limit family size. It was only eight years later that there were signs of a fall in birth rate. Much of this decline was due to the Association's education programmes. These included exhibitions on family planning and tours to rural community centres. In 1959, the Association was allowed to offer its services to government clinics and the Kandang Kerbau Maternity Hospital.
From 1959 to 1965, there was a further drop in the birth rate. However, the fall in the birth rate was still too small to allow Singapore to attain economic stability. The government realised it could no longer depend on a voluntary association to carry out this important task. The Singapore Family Planning and Population Board (SFPPB) was set up on 12 January 1966 to carry out family planning on a nation-wide basis. It became the sole agency responsible for all family planning programmes in Singapore.
The SFPPB was dissolved in June 1985 and its many functions concerning family planning have since been taken over by the Ministry of Health.
Population policies from 1966 to present day
Abortion
The 1969 Abortion Act allowed abortions to be carried out up to the 16th week of pregnancy on socio-economic and medical grounds. Abortion was further liberalised with the amended Abortion Act of 1974 which allowed abortions to be undertaken up to the 24th week. However, with the 1987 population policy, pre and post-abortion counselling was made mandatory for women with fewer than three children.
Sterilisation
Voluntary sterilisation was legalised in 1969. It served as a complement to family planning, making it possible for women who had completed family formation to undergo sterilisation. In 1974, sterilisation was made available to all persons on demand. In 1987, pre-sterilisation counselling was made mandatory for couples who have fewer than two living children.
'Have 3 children or more if you can afford it' policy
At the National Day Rally on 20 August 2000, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong expressed his concern that Singapore's total fertility rate has fallen from 1.96 in 1988 to 1.59 in 2000, way below the 2.1 required to replace the population.
In its effort to encourage married Singaporeans to have more children, the government introduced some new initiatives in 2001. The aim of these initiatives was to create a total environment conducive to raising a family.
One of the initiatives is the Child Development Co-savings Scheme, also known as the Baby Bonus Scheme. Under the scheme, when a couple has a second or third child, the government will open a Children Development Account (CDA) for the family. Over six years, the government will contribute up to $9,000 to the account for a couple's second child; and up to $18,000 for a third child. The family can use the Baby Bonus to pay for the development and education of their children. Monies in the CDA can be used to pay for fees at the MCDS-licensed childcare centres, MOE-registered kindergartens and pre-school programmes at special education schools that are registered as approved institutions with Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS).
The paid third child maternity leave grant is another initiative. This initiative allows working mothers who give birth to their third child to enjoy eight weeks of paid maternity leave. It aims to give mothers time to bond with their new baby without suffering a loss in income. Employers will not bear the expense. Instead the government will pay the cost of the maternity leave for the third child, up to a cap of $20,000.
Other initiatives include the implementation of more family-friendly work arrangements in the Civil Service and setting up more affordable childcare centres.
HDB Top-up Grant for singles who marry
Qualifying singles may receive a CPF housing grant of $11,000 to buy a resale flat before 2004. Singles who have obtained this grant, and who marry on or after 1 August 2004, will receive a Top-Up Grant to the prevailing CPF family housing grant. Based on the prevailing family grant quantum, a couple can receive a top-up of up to $29,000. The top-up can be used to offset the mortgage loan of the existing resale flat or for the purchase of another resale flat.
Making child birth more affordable
Before 2004, Singaporeans could use their Medisave to pay for the delivery expenses for their first three children. Now they are able to use Medisave to pay for pre-delivery medical expenses (e.g. ultrasound scans) in addition to delivery expenses, for all their children. These measures apply to parents of babies born on or after 1 August 2004.
Use of Medisave for Assisted Conception Procedures
Couples who face difficulty conceiving are able to use more from their Medisave accounts to pay for Assisted Conception Procedures (ACP), such as In-Vitro Fertilisation. Couples who start their ACP treatment cycles on or after 1 August 2004 benefit from this change.
Providing financial support for raising children
The Baby Bonus which was initially given to the second and third child, has been extended to the first and fourth child, with the cash paid out over two years. Parents of Singapore Citizen babies enjoy a Baby Bonus of $3,000 cash if the baby is their first child, up to $9,000 cash and matching contributions if the baby is their second child, and up to $18,000 cash and matching contributions if the baby is a third or fourth child. The accelerated disbursement of the cash component over two years give parents more immediate support, as costs are generally higher when the child is younger. The matching contributions can be used readily to defray expenses such as infant care, childcare and kindergarten expenses for all children in the family.
Parents of Singaporean children also benefit from enhanced income tax benefits. The Parenthood Tax Rebate - without age requirements or qualifying claim periods provides tax rebates of $10,000 to $20,000, depending on the birth order of the child. The Working Mothers' Child Relief - without qualifying educational criteria - provides working mothers a tax relief of 5% to 25% of their earned income, depending on the number of children they have.
Enhancing child care options
Working mothers of Singapore Citizen babies now have a total of 12 weeks paid Maternity Leave, compared to the previous eight weeks. The additional 4 weeks' leave may be taken any time within six months from birth. Employers will continue to pay for eight weeks of maternity leave taken for the first and second child, while the Government will pay for the additional four weeks for the first and second child, and the entire 12 weeks for the third and fourth child, subject to a cap of $10,000 per four weeks.
Working parents with any child below seven years of age are eligible for two days of employer-paid Child Care Leave per year.
Parents of Singapore Citizen infants, aged two to 18 months and attending licensed infant or child care centres, receive an infant-care subsidy of up to $400 per month. MCYS has been looking into ways to increase the availability of infant care places if there is good demand.
Families employing foreign domestic workers pay a lower Foreign Domestic Worker Levy of $200 if they have a Singapore Citizen child aged below 12 years staying in the same household. The lower levy is also be available to families which have a Singaporean parent, parent-in-law, grandparent or grandparent-in-Iaw aged 65 years and above staying in the same household, or if the employer or spouse is a Singaporean aged 65 years and above.
Working mothers whose child is being cared for by his or her grandparents get a Grandparent Caregiver tax relief of $3,000. This applies to working mothers of Singapore Citizen children aged 12 years and below.
Encouraging better work-life balance
Many Singaporeans have said that their decisions to have more children depend heavily on whether they can have a healthy balance between work and family life. To help create a workplace environment that helps Singaporeans harmonise family and work commitments, the Government has introduced a $10 million WoW! (Work-life Works!) Fund. This fund provides financial support to companies to develop and implement family-friendly work practices, such as flexible work arrangements for staff.
What are the new pro-family measures introduced by the government since 2008?
At the National Day Rally Speech of 2008, PM Lee announced a slew of measures to create more time and more funds to help parents cope with their children. Paid maternity leave will be extended from 12 weeks to 16 weeks, and the extra four weeks can be taken anytime during the baby's first year. It was previously extended from eight to 12 weeks in 2004. There will also be a larger baby bonus for first-time parents, more tax incentives to encourage mothers to work, more incentives for the fifth and subsequent children, and more financial support for couples who go for In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) treatment. Childcare leave, which can be claimed by either parent, will be extended from two to six days per year. There will also be one week of unpaid infant-care leave per year, and mums or dads can claim it until their child turns two years old. The government will help by catering to demand and creating 20,000 places at 200 new childcare centres over the next five years. There will also be more financial support to help kindergartens upgrade their staff and curricula, as well as more financial help for parents.
What is the Senior Citizens' Week?
The first Senior Citizens' Week was organised by the Ministry of Community Development in 1979. The objective was to encourage the elderly to remain physically, mentally and socially active, and to emphasise the importance of early pre-retirement planning and to promote positive attitudes towards ageing and the aged in society. This week is also set aside as a mark of respect and appreciation for the contributions made by senior citizens to the country.
The Senior Citizens' Week is usually held in the third week of November every year. During the week-long celebration, various activities ranging from carnivals to excursions and talks are organised. Younger Singaporeans are also invited to participate in some of the activities together with the senior citizens.
What is the 'Back to Work' Programme?
The 'Back to Work' Programme was launched in September 1996. Its aim is to encourage housewives and retirees to return to the workforce. Its main focus is to promote part-time and flexible work to enable housewives to balance work with their family responsibilities, and retirees to continue working at a suitable pace. It is a national initiative undertaken by the Ministry of Manpower, the Singapore Productivity and Standards Board, the National Trade Union Congress and the Singapore National Employers' Federation.
The successful return of housewives and retirees to the workforce enable Singapore to better utilise its indigenous manpower resources, alleviate the manpower shortage faced by employers, and help reduce its reliance on foreign workers as well as engage older people as contributing members of the society.
Promotional activities are targeted at potential employers and employees. Employers are given help to restructure job vacancies into part-time and flexible jobs that could be undertaken by housewives and retirees. Attractive training grants are also provided to help job seekers who have left the workforce some time ago to undergo the necessary core skills and job-specific skills training.
What is and how can the Central Provident Fund (CPF) be utilised?
In Singapore, the Central Provident Fund (CPF) is the main means for Singaporeans to meet their fihancial needs after retirement. This compulsory savings scheme was established in 1955. Over the years, the CPF has developed into a comprehensive social security scheme, which not only takes care of a member's old age, healthcare and home ownership needs, but also provides financial protection for them and their families through insurance schemes.
The scheme covers all employees, self-employed and voluntary contributors. Both employers and employees make monthly contributions to the employees' CPF accounts. The CPF contribution rates vary according to the age groups of the employees. For example, the contributions of employees aged 65 years and above are less than those aged 55 years and below. The reduction in the contribution rates is to encourage the continued employment of older workers. CPF members receive interest on their CPF savings.
Every CPF member has three accounts - Ordinary Account, Medisave Account and Special Account. At age 55, the member would also have a Retirement Account. Savings in the Ordinary Account can be used for housing, approved investments, insurance, education and transfers to top up parents' Retirement Accounts. Savings in the Medisave Account are for meeting hospitalisation charges and for approved medical expenses and medical insurance premiums. The Special Account is meant for old age, contingencies and investment purposes.
CPF members can withdraw their savings when they reach the age of 55. The member, however, has to set aside a minimum sum in his Retirement Account before withdrawing the rest of his savings. From the age of 62, he receives a monthly income from his Retirement Account. Alternatively, the minimum sum may be deposited with a bank or be used to buy a life annuity with an insurance company which will yield a monthly income.
The beginning of family planning in Singapore
Family planning was unheard of in Singapore until a small group of public-spirited individuals started a voluntary organisation called 'The Singapore Family Planning Association' in 1949. In the early years, it was difficult to get people to accept family planning. Traditional values of large families as symbol of wealth, the need for heirs and sons to continue the family name, and religious and public opposition were the main reasons. It took time for people to be convinced that there was a need to limit family size. It was only eight years later that there were signs of a fall in birth rate. Much of this decline was due to the Association's education programmes. These included exhibitions on family planning and tours to rural community centres. In 1959, the Association was allowed to offer its services to government clinics and the Kandang Kerbau Maternity Hospital.
From 1959 to 1965, there was a further drop in the birth rate. However, the fall in the birth rate was still too small to allow Singapore to attain economic stability. The government realised it could no longer depend on a voluntary association to carry out this important task. The Singapore Family Planning and Population Board (SFPPB) was set up on 12 January 1966 to carry out family planning on a nation-wide basis. It became the sole agency responsible for all family planning programmes in Singapore.
The SFPPB was dissolved in June 1985 and its many functions concerning family planning have since been taken over by the Ministry of Health.
Population policies from 1966 to present day
Abortion
The 1969 Abortion Act allowed abortions to be carried out up to the 16th week of pregnancy on socio-economic and medical grounds. Abortion was further liberalised with the amended Abortion Act of 1974 which allowed abortions to be undertaken up to the 24th week. However, with the 1987 population policy, pre and post-abortion counselling was made mandatory for women with fewer than three children.
Sterilisation
Voluntary sterilisation was legalised in 1969. It served as a complement to family planning, making it possible for women who had completed family formation to undergo sterilisation. In 1974, sterilisation was made available to all persons on demand. In 1987, pre-sterilisation counselling was made mandatory for couples who have fewer than two living children.
'Have 3 children or more if you can afford it' policy
At the National Day Rally on 20 August 2000, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong expressed his concern that Singapore's total fertility rate has fallen from 1.96 in 1988 to 1.59 in 2000, way below the 2.1 required to replace the population.
In its effort to encourage married Singaporeans to have more children, the government introduced some new initiatives in 2001. The aim of these initiatives was to create a total environment conducive to raising a family.
One of the initiatives is the Child Development Co-savings Scheme, also known as the Baby Bonus Scheme. Under the scheme, when a couple has a second or third child, the government will open a Children Development Account (CDA) for the family. Over six years, the government will contribute up to $9,000 to the account for a couple's second child; and up to $18,000 for a third child. The family can use the Baby Bonus to pay for the development and education of their children. Monies in the CDA can be used to pay for fees at the MCDS-licensed childcare centres, MOE-registered kindergartens and pre-school programmes at special education schools that are registered as approved institutions with Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS).
The paid third child maternity leave grant is another initiative. This initiative allows working mothers who give birth to their third child to enjoy eight weeks of paid maternity leave. It aims to give mothers time to bond with their new baby without suffering a loss in income. Employers will not bear the expense. Instead the government will pay the cost of the maternity leave for the third child, up to a cap of $20,000.
Other initiatives include the implementation of more family-friendly work arrangements in the Civil Service and setting up more affordable childcare centres.
HDB Top-up Grant for singles who marry
Qualifying singles may receive a CPF housing grant of $11,000 to buy a resale flat before 2004. Singles who have obtained this grant, and who marry on or after 1 August 2004, will receive a Top-Up Grant to the prevailing CPF family housing grant. Based on the prevailing family grant quantum, a couple can receive a top-up of up to $29,000. The top-up can be used to offset the mortgage loan of the existing resale flat or for the purchase of another resale flat.
Making child birth more affordable
Before 2004, Singaporeans could use their Medisave to pay for the delivery expenses for their first three children. Now they are able to use Medisave to pay for pre-delivery medical expenses (e.g. ultrasound scans) in addition to delivery expenses, for all their children. These measures apply to parents of babies born on or after 1 August 2004.
Use of Medisave for Assisted Conception Procedures
Couples who face difficulty conceiving are able to use more from their Medisave accounts to pay for Assisted Conception Procedures (ACP), such as In-Vitro Fertilisation. Couples who start their ACP treatment cycles on or after 1 August 2004 benefit from this change.
Providing financial support for raising children
The Baby Bonus which was initially given to the second and third child, has been extended to the first and fourth child, with the cash paid out over two years. Parents of Singapore Citizen babies enjoy a Baby Bonus of $3,000 cash if the baby is their first child, up to $9,000 cash and matching contributions if the baby is their second child, and up to $18,000 cash and matching contributions if the baby is a third or fourth child. The accelerated disbursement of the cash component over two years give parents more immediate support, as costs are generally higher when the child is younger. The matching contributions can be used readily to defray expenses such as infant care, childcare and kindergarten expenses for all children in the family.
Parents of Singaporean children also benefit from enhanced income tax benefits. The Parenthood Tax Rebate - without age requirements or qualifying claim periods provides tax rebates of $10,000 to $20,000, depending on the birth order of the child. The Working Mothers' Child Relief - without qualifying educational criteria - provides working mothers a tax relief of 5% to 25% of their earned income, depending on the number of children they have.
Enhancing child care options
Working mothers of Singapore Citizen babies now have a total of 12 weeks paid Maternity Leave, compared to the previous eight weeks. The additional 4 weeks' leave may be taken any time within six months from birth. Employers will continue to pay for eight weeks of maternity leave taken for the first and second child, while the Government will pay for the additional four weeks for the first and second child, and the entire 12 weeks for the third and fourth child, subject to a cap of $10,000 per four weeks.
Working parents with any child below seven years of age are eligible for two days of employer-paid Child Care Leave per year.
Parents of Singapore Citizen infants, aged two to 18 months and attending licensed infant or child care centres, receive an infant-care subsidy of up to $400 per month. MCYS has been looking into ways to increase the availability of infant care places if there is good demand.
Families employing foreign domestic workers pay a lower Foreign Domestic Worker Levy of $200 if they have a Singapore Citizen child aged below 12 years staying in the same household. The lower levy is also be available to families which have a Singaporean parent, parent-in-law, grandparent or grandparent-in-Iaw aged 65 years and above staying in the same household, or if the employer or spouse is a Singaporean aged 65 years and above.
Working mothers whose child is being cared for by his or her grandparents get a Grandparent Caregiver tax relief of $3,000. This applies to working mothers of Singapore Citizen children aged 12 years and below.
Encouraging better work-life balance
Many Singaporeans have said that their decisions to have more children depend heavily on whether they can have a healthy balance between work and family life. To help create a workplace environment that helps Singaporeans harmonise family and work commitments, the Government has introduced a $10 million WoW! (Work-life Works!) Fund. This fund provides financial support to companies to develop and implement family-friendly work practices, such as flexible work arrangements for staff.
What are the new pro-family measures introduced by the government since 2008?
At the National Day Rally Speech of 2008, PM Lee announced a slew of measures to create more time and more funds to help parents cope with their children. Paid maternity leave will be extended from 12 weeks to 16 weeks, and the extra four weeks can be taken anytime during the baby's first year. It was previously extended from eight to 12 weeks in 2004. There will also be a larger baby bonus for first-time parents, more tax incentives to encourage mothers to work, more incentives for the fifth and subsequent children, and more financial support for couples who go for In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) treatment. Childcare leave, which can be claimed by either parent, will be extended from two to six days per year. There will also be one week of unpaid infant-care leave per year, and mums or dads can claim it until their child turns two years old. The government will help by catering to demand and creating 20,000 places at 200 new childcare centres over the next five years. There will also be more financial support to help kindergartens upgrade their staff and curricula, as well as more financial help for parents.
What is the Senior Citizens' Week?
The first Senior Citizens' Week was organised by the Ministry of Community Development in 1979. The objective was to encourage the elderly to remain physically, mentally and socially active, and to emphasise the importance of early pre-retirement planning and to promote positive attitudes towards ageing and the aged in society. This week is also set aside as a mark of respect and appreciation for the contributions made by senior citizens to the country.
The Senior Citizens' Week is usually held in the third week of November every year. During the week-long celebration, various activities ranging from carnivals to excursions and talks are organised. Younger Singaporeans are also invited to participate in some of the activities together with the senior citizens.
What is the 'Back to Work' Programme?
The 'Back to Work' Programme was launched in September 1996. Its aim is to encourage housewives and retirees to return to the workforce. Its main focus is to promote part-time and flexible work to enable housewives to balance work with their family responsibilities, and retirees to continue working at a suitable pace. It is a national initiative undertaken by the Ministry of Manpower, the Singapore Productivity and Standards Board, the National Trade Union Congress and the Singapore National Employers' Federation.
The successful return of housewives and retirees to the workforce enable Singapore to better utilise its indigenous manpower resources, alleviate the manpower shortage faced by employers, and help reduce its reliance on foreign workers as well as engage older people as contributing members of the society.
Promotional activities are targeted at potential employers and employees. Employers are given help to restructure job vacancies into part-time and flexible jobs that could be undertaken by housewives and retirees. Attractive training grants are also provided to help job seekers who have left the workforce some time ago to undergo the necessary core skills and job-specific skills training.
What is and how can the Central Provident Fund (CPF) be utilised?
In Singapore, the Central Provident Fund (CPF) is the main means for Singaporeans to meet their fihancial needs after retirement. This compulsory savings scheme was established in 1955. Over the years, the CPF has developed into a comprehensive social security scheme, which not only takes care of a member's old age, healthcare and home ownership needs, but also provides financial protection for them and their families through insurance schemes.
The scheme covers all employees, self-employed and voluntary contributors. Both employers and employees make monthly contributions to the employees' CPF accounts. The CPF contribution rates vary according to the age groups of the employees. For example, the contributions of employees aged 65 years and above are less than those aged 55 years and below. The reduction in the contribution rates is to encourage the continued employment of older workers. CPF members receive interest on their CPF savings.
Every CPF member has three accounts - Ordinary Account, Medisave Account and Special Account. At age 55, the member would also have a Retirement Account. Savings in the Ordinary Account can be used for housing, approved investments, insurance, education and transfers to top up parents' Retirement Accounts. Savings in the Medisave Account are for meeting hospitalisation charges and for approved medical expenses and medical insurance premiums. The Special Account is meant for old age, contingencies and investment purposes.
CPF members can withdraw their savings when they reach the age of 55. The member, however, has to set aside a minimum sum in his Retirement Account before withdrawing the rest of his savings. From the age of 62, he receives a monthly income from his Retirement Account. Alternatively, the minimum sum may be deposited with a bank or be used to buy a life annuity with an insurance company which will yield a monthly income.
