Over one million Singaporean households claim US$380 vouchers from cost-of-living support scheme

By Dat Nguyen May 22, 2025 | 07:24 pm PT

People walk past the Merlion statue with the backdrop of the Marina Bay waterfront in Singapore on Jan. 3, 2024. Photo by AFP

Over one million Singaporean households, or 75% of total eligible ones, have claimed the US$380 Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers, which help alleviate living expenses, since the latest distribution on May 13.

The high claim rate reflects a "growing familiarity and comfort with the vouchers’ quick and easy digital claim process," Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry Low Yen Ling said in a Facebook post Wednesday.

The voucher of SGD500 (US$380), issued to each Singaporean household with at least one citizen, was designed to assist with daily expenses and bolster key businesses.

Another batch of voucher valued at SGD300 was issued in January.

For both sets of vouchers issued this year, more than SGD398 million has been spent, with about SGD185 million used at hawkers and merchants, and more than SGD213 million at supermarkets.

Since the voucher program began in December 2021, the government has allocated approximately SGD1.99 billion to the initiative, Low said.

Introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic, the vouchers were intended to express gratitude to Singaporeans for their unity and to support local businesses.

The program continued post-pandemic to help alleviate the impact of increasing prices on Singaporeans.

The vouchers, which can be claimed online at a government website, are valid until the end of the year.