Poverty Alleviation Strategies in Singapore

1. Poverty Alleviation Strategies in Singapore Yap Mui Teng Senior Research Fellow Institute of Policy Studies, Singapore

2. Prevalence • No official poverty line (as in Hong Kong) • Dept of Statistics • Minimum Household Expenditure (MHE) • Half of median per capita household income • Information on income distribution but for income from work only • Different income criteria used for determining eligibility for assistance and in means tests

3. Prevalence • Estimates vary • 2000 on public assistance (late 1990s) • 30,000 households (MTI 1996) • 120,000 or 4% of resident population (DOS, figure for 1998) • 100,000 households (welfare agencies 2001) Prevalence of poverty difficult to know

4. Poverty Alleviation Strategy • Independence, self – reliance • Jobs • Education, skills development/upgrading, training and re-training • Job creation, investment promotion (attracting foreign investment), entrepreneurship promotion • Jobs links, matching • Family support • Promotion of family values • Legislative, administrative measures (e.g. tax reliefs for caring for parents and CPF top-ups, use of Medisave, Maintenance of Parents Act)

5. Poverty Alleviation Strategy • Community • Community Development Councils (CDCs) • Voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs) • Partnership with business, charities • Government • Policy maker, planner, regulator and provider

6. Poverty Alleviation Strategy • ‘Many helping hands’ approach • Co-funding • Fund raising from corporate sector, public • Emphasis is always on regaining financial independence and preventive (so that the next generation do not fall into the trap of poverty)

7. Poverty Alleviation Strategy • Financial Assistance Schemes • Government schemes, administered by CDCs • Public Assistance Scheme / Special Grant (for PRs) • Interim (Short-term) Financial Assistance Scheme (IFAS) • Rent and Utilities Assistance Scheme (RUAS) • Home Ownership Plus Education Scheme (HOPE) • Work Assistance Programme (WAP) • Kindergarten Financial Assistance Scheme (KiFAS) • Student Care Fee Assistance Scheme (SCFA) • Centre-based Financial Assistance Scheme for Child Care (CFAC)

8. Poverty Alleviation Strategy • “Local” financial assistance schemes introduced by CDCs • Disbursed by members of parliament in each ward within CDC • Short term – about 3 months • Small quantum – about $200 pm • In-kind assistance e.g. food vouchers

9. Poverty Alleviation Strategy • Employment, re-employment • Skills Development Fund • Skills Redevelopment Programme • Training allowance • Absentee payroll support • Self-employment Assistance Scheme

10. Role of NGOs • NGOs, particularly the voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs), play a very important role in the provision and delivery of social services in Singapore • Religion-based community welfare service organisations e.g. Presbyterian, Methodist, Buddhist, Moral Society, etc • Clan or ethnic based • Clan associations long history in Singapore • Ethnic self-help groups e.g. Mendaki, SINDA, CDAC

11. Role of NGOs • Others e.g. Rotary Club, Lions Club, etc • Philanthropic organisations and foundations – funding e.g. Singapore Pools, Lee Foundation, Shaw Foundation, etc. Important to note: NGOs help all those who seek help from them, regardless of race, language, religion or gender

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