The COVID-19 situation has affected jobs and livelihoods. To provide relief and assistance to Singaporeans, the Government has introduced various schemes to provide financial support during this time:
1. Temporary Relief Fund
2. COVID-19 Support Grant
3. The Courage Fund
What’s the difference between the 3 schemes?
The Temporary Relief Fund is a one-off interim assistance scheme to help Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents (PRs) who have lost their jobs, or a substantial
portion of their income due to COVID-19. It is only available in April 2020.
The COVID-19 Support Grant is a scheme to help Singapore Citizens and PRs who
are presently unemployed due to retrenchment or contract termination, or presently on involuntary no-pay leave (NPL) for at least three consecutive months, or presently experiencing reduced monthly salary of at least 30% for at least three consecutive
months as a result of the economic impact of COVID-19.
One of the schemes of The Courage Fund is targeted to help lower-income households whose family member(s)
have contracted COVID-19, or are on Stay-Home Notice (SHN), mandatory Leave of Absence (LOA), or Home Quarantine Order (HQO).
Who is eligible?
Here are the eligibility criteria for each of the schemes:
| Temporary Relief Fund: • Singapore Citizens or PRs aged 16 years and above • Loss of job or at least 30% of personal income due to COVID-19 (after 23 Jan 2020) • Prior gross monthly household income of ≤$10,000, or monthly per capita income of ≤$3,100 • Not on ComCare assistance |
COVID-19 Support Grant:
|
| The Courage Fund: • Households with at least one Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident whose family member(s) have contracted COVID-19, or are on SHN, mandatory LOA, or HQO • Loss of complete or partial (at least 10%) household income due to COVID-19 • Prior household income of $3,900, or per capita household income of $1,350 • ComCare clients may apply |
How much assistance can I get?
The Temporary Relief Fund is a one-off
$500 cash assistance. It is only available in April 2020.
For those who have experienced job loss or presently on involuntary NPL for a period of at least three consecutive months:
The COVID-19 Support Grant provides a monthly cash grant of up to $800 for 3 months, which is credited to your bank account. The cash support quantum will be based on the last-drawn monthly
salary, capped at $800. You will also receive job and training support by WSG or e2i.
For those who have experienced income loss of at least 30% for a period of at least three consecutive months:
The COVID-19 Support Grant provides a monthly cash grant of up to $500 for 3 months, which is credited to your bank account. The cash support quantum will be
based on the last-drawn monthly salary, capped at $500.
The Courage Fund provides a one-time lump sum of up to $1,000 (depending on the household's per capita income after being affected by COVID-19), which is credited to your bank account. Do note that the relief is provided per household,
not per individual.
How do I apply?
You can apply for the Temporary Relief Fund
online, or at a Social Service Office (SSO), or a Community
Centre/Club (CC). The application period is from 1 April to 30 April 2020.
You will need to provide your NRIC (for SSOs and CCs), letter of retrenchment or termination of contract, and relevant documents showing reduction in income due to COVID-19.
You can apply for the COVID-19 Support Grant from 4 May (for those who lost their jobs or were placed on involuntary NPL for at least three consecutive months
due to COVID-19) and 11 May (for those who had their monthly salaries reduced by at least 30% in each month for at least three consecutive months due to COVID-19). Applications have been extended until 31 Dec 2020. The application
window for the extended CSG will be open daily from 9am to 6pm on 1 October 2020 and will remain open until 6pm on 31st Dec 2020
If you need help filling in the online application form, you can call the ComCare Call hotline (1800-222-0000) for assistance. You can approach the nearest Social Service Offices (go.gov.sg/ssolocator)
to schedule an application slot, if you are not able to apply online.
You will need to provide your NRIC, bank account number, relevant documents indicating loss of job, being on involuntary NPL or reduction of at least 30% salary for at least 3 consecutive months, past and current payslip(s) or CPF contribution statement(s).
You can apply for The Courage Fund at any SSO. Applications should be made within 6 months from the end of the SHN, LOA, HQO, or discharge from hospitalisation
due to COVID-19, whichever is later.
You will need to provide your NRIC, bank account number, proof of SHN / LOA / HQO / hospitalisation due to COVID-19, relevant documents showing reduction in income as a result of COVID-19 (e.g. payslips before and after).
How will I know if I am successful, and when can I expect to receive the assistance?
If you have applied for the Temporary Relief Fund, you will be notified of the outcome via SMS or phone call. You will also receive a notification from the PayNow service when the assistance has been credited to your account.
If you do not have a PayNow account, you will be notified by the CC to collect the cheque in about 2 to 3 weeks.
If you have applied for the COVID-19 Support Grant or The Courage Fund,
you will be notified of the outcome about 2 to 3 weeks upon submission of supporting documents.
Where can I find more details?
For more details of the various support schemes, go to the Ministry of Social and Family Development’s (MSF) website.
For details of the other schemes under The Courage Fund,
which include those to support dependants of individuals who contract COVID-19, healthcare workers, frontline workers and community volunteers who contract the virus in the course of duty, go to the National Council of Social Service's (NCSS)
website.
