Around three million Singaporeans will get cash payments between S$100 and S$600 starting December 5. The money comes from the enhanced Assurance Package announced during Budget 2023.
The Ministry of Finance said on November 7 that the payments help cover household expenses. Lower- to middle-income families get additional support.
Who gets the money
Singaporeans aged 21 and above in 2026 qualify for the payments. The amount depends on assessable income and property ownership.
Citizens can check if they’re eligible on the govbenefits website using their Singpass. The cash goes out every December from 2022 to 2026. Over five years, eligible Singaporeans receive between S$700 and S$2,250 in total.
Three ways to get your payment
The fastest option? Link your NRIC to PayNow by November 23 if you bank with participating institutions in Singapore. These recipients get paid first on December 5.
PayNow-NRIC is MOF’s go-to payment method for citizens who’ve linked their NRIC through their bank.
Don’t have PayNow-NRIC but bank with DBS, POSB, OCBC or UOB? Provide your account details on the govbenefits website by November 29. The cash arrives via GIRO by December 16.
Those without valid bank accounts get paid through GovCash by December 22.
Using GovCash
GovCash users can withdraw their money at any OCBC ATM across Singapore. You’ll need your payment reference number, which you get by logging into govbenefits with Singpass, NRIC, and facial verification. No OCBC account required.
The LifeSG app offers another route. Scan a merchant’s PayNow or NETS QR code to make payments. You can also transfer money to your bank account via PayNow-NRIC if you register for it later.
The bigger picture
Budget 2023 pumped S$3 billion into the Assurance Package, pushing the total to S$9.6 billion. The full package delivers over S$10 billion in cash payouts, MediSave top-ups and CDC vouchers. U-Save rebates and service and conservancy charge reductions sweeten the deal.
Recipients get notified through the gov.sg SMS Sender ID before and after the cash lands. Those without a Singpass-registered mobile number receive a letter at their NRIC address.
Watch out for scams
MOF warned the public to stay alert. Government officials never ask people to transfer money or share bank login details over the phone.
