“More than 950,000 Singaporean households living in Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats will receive U-Save and service and conservancy charges (S&CC) rebates in October,” revealed the Ministry of Finance (MOF) on Monday.
As part of the permanent GST Voucher (GSTV) scheme, these rebates are aimed at providing support for GST and cost-of-living expenses for lower- to middle-income households. The rebates are disbursed quarterly in April, July, October, and January. According to the Ministry of Finance, the upcoming rebates in October will be the third quarterly disbursement for the 2024 financial year.
“In October, eligible households will receive up to S$190 (US$150) worth of U-Save, depending on their HDB flat type,” stated the MOF. This financial year, eligible households will receive up to 2.5 times the amount of regular U-Save, or a maximum of S$950.
An MOF spokesperson highlighted that these rebates were announced in Budget 2024 to help Singaporean HDB households manage the increases in their utility bills. The additional U-Save will provide financial relief by covering around eight months of utility bills for those living in 1- and 2-room flats, and about four months for those in 3- and 4-room flats.
In addition to these rebates, household electricity and gas tariffs are set to decrease for the period from October to December due to lower energy and fuel costs.
“Compared with the previous quarter, the electricity tariff will decrease by 2.6 per cent or 0.78 cents per kilowatt-hour before Goods and Services Tax (GST),” revealed SP Group, the national grid operator. This reduction translates to an average monthly decrease of S$3 before GST for families living in HDB four-room flats.
City Energy announced that the gas tariff will also decrease before GST, from 23.42 cents per kilowatt-hour to 22.97 cents, marking a reduction of 0.45 cents. The electricity and gas tariffs are reviewed every quarter based on guidelines set by the Energy Market Authority (EMA).
