Latest news with #CDCVouchers
Straits Times
21-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
More than 75 per cent of Singaporean households have claimed CDC vouchers: Low Yen Ling
The amount the Government has spent on the vouchers scheme adds up to about $1.99 billion, since the scheme started in December 2021. PHOTO: ST FILE More than 75 per cent of Singaporean households have claimed CDC vouchers: Low Yen Ling SINGAPORE - More than a million households in Singapore have claimed their CDC vouchers since the latest tranche was disbursed on May 13. That means more than 75 per cent of the 1.33 million Singaporean households have taken up the $500 vouchers, which are meant to help with daily household expenses and also support heartland businesses. In a Facebook post on May 21, Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry Low Yen Ling said the high rate of claims suggests a 'growing familiarity and comfort with the vouchers' quick and easy digital claim process'. The amount the Government has spent on the vouchers scheme adds up to about $1.99 billion, since the scheme started in December 2021, Ms Low added. She said: 'For both sets of CDC Vouchers issued in January and May this year, more than $398 million has been spent, with about $185 million used at participating hawkers and heartland merchants, and more than $213 million at participating supermarkets.' In January, Singaporeans households were given $300 worth of CDC vouchers to help ease the impact of rising costs. 'This brings the total spent amount to over $1.99 billion, since the scheme started in December 2021, with the aim of helping Singaporean households and supporting heartland businesses,' she added. The CDC vouchers were introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic, aimed at showing appreciation to Singaporeans for their solidarity during the period, as well as to support businesses. The scheme carried on after the pandemic - to help cushion the impact of rising prices on Singaporeans. The latest tranche was given out from May 13. Half of the $500 vouchers can be used at participating supermarkets, and the other half can be used at participating hawker stalls and heartland merchants. The vouchers can be claimed online at with both disbursements this year valid until Dec 31, 2025. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Independent Singapore
14-05-2025
- Business
- Independent Singapore
‘Not all households are the same' — Some Singaporeans wish CDC vouchers were given per person instead of per household
SINGAPORE: While there is no doubt that most Singaporeans are grateful for the extra help that CDC Vouchers give, in the face of high living costs, some have expressed the wish that they would be given per person instead of per household. On Tuesday (May 13), Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced that the latest tranche of CDC Vouchers worth $500 has been made available . These are part of the government's commitment to help Singaporeans cope with increased prices, especially for food and other essential items. Each household with at least one Singaporean may avail of the vouchers, which are split into $250 that may be spent at participating heartland hawkers and merchants, and the other $250 at participating grocery stores. On Reddit, however, u/Dizzy_Boysenberry499 expressed their opinion that vouchers should be given to individuals and asked others to weigh in. ' I understand that there is much criticism about CDC vouchers. Some are more valid than others. I can accept that CDC Vouchers are given as a 'voucher' and not cash so as to ensure that spending goes to support legitimate household expenses, doesn't just flow out to support JB's economy, but to support legitimate local businesses,' they wrote. However, they disagree with the vouchers being distributed per household, arguing that if a household has five members in one address, they take up less space but receive less voucher support. The post author also believes that not giving out CDC Vouchers per person may end up affecting Singapore's birth rate. ' Additionally, isn't the government trying to encourage having children? I understand that a child under 18 may not need as much as an adult, but maybe we could have half the value for under 18 and full value for above 18?' they wrote. In the same vein, there should also be extra consideration for those in the sandwich generation who are looking after their elderly relatives at home instead of entrusting them to the care of institutions. Families in these situations should also not be 'punished' with less voucher support. The post spawned a lively discussion, with the top comment being one involving another kind of solution for high prices. 'I think most would agree. I think the real controversial opinion is on whether most need the CDC Voucher at all. Would rather they do something permanent about cost of living issues,' a Reddit user wrote. 'Totally agree. In fact, I just wrote feedback to MOF on exactly this right before I saw this thread,' chimed in another. 'Agree. Bigger families should have a higher quantum, seeing that the primary purpose of this is to aid in the costs of living,' one added. Some, however, pointed out that individual vouchers will be distributed by July. For many, the bigger issue is finding a more permanent solution to increased living costs. 'Just hope to earn more by myself without needing to depend on these CDC Vouchers,' one sighed, which caused another to respond with 'Yes, this is the ideal scenario for me too. I was legit happy buying fruits with the supermarket vouchers until I suddenly realised I am on 'food stamps'. That gave me a shock.' /TISG Read also: 'My whole chicken is here' — Singaporeans react to latest tranche of CDC Vouchers worth S$500
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
$500 CDC vouchers from 13 May to help with cost of living
If you are worried about increased food prices, thank God (tomorrow's Good Friday) for the S$500 CDC vouchers. All Singaporean households will each receive S$500 in CDC vouchers from 13 May to help them with their daily expenses. You can use half – or S$250 – of the vouchers at supermarkets, with the other half at participating hawker stalls and heartland merchants, said the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and the community development councils (CDCs) in a joint press release on 15 Apr. First announced during Budget 2025, the latest CDC vouchers will be valid till 31 Dec 2025. In Jan 2026, households will be able to receive another S$300 in CDC vouchers. Then Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat announced the CDC voucher scheme during the COVID-19 pandemic to appreciate Singaporeans for their unity, and to support firms. The payout was continued after the pandemic to help cushion the impact of rising prices. Visit Tap on CDC Vouchers 2025 (May) after they are made available. Log in with Singpass. Only 1 household member needs to claim on behalf of the household. Get your CDC Voucher link by SMS from ' Forward the SMS to your family members. To spend the S$500 CDC vouchers, select the voucher type and amount you want to use. Show the QR code to the participating merchant to scan. Look out for the teal decal (above image) at participating hawkers and heartland merchants, and the yellow decal at participating supermarkets. Visit to search for the nearest participating hawkers, heartland merchants, and supermarkets. Where to use S$300 CDC vouchers: 12 lesser-known places that accept them as payment The post $500 CDC vouchers from 13 May to help with cost of living appeared first on
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'Why are you not prepared to pay $5 for wanton mee?' – Minister's comments spark outrage from netizens
Inflation and the rising cost of living has hit all of us hard – not just locally, but globally, too. Even with the government's announcement of measures such as CDC Vouchers, it's difficult not to feel the sting on our wallets when everything costs nearly twice as much as it used to, compared to a decade ago. On a recent podcast from CNA (Channel NewsAsia), hosts Steven Chia and Crispina Robert sat down with Sustainability and Environment Minister, Grace Fu, for a conversation about hawker centres – and one particular comment from Minister Fu ignited a firestorm online. The hosts discussed how they felt very sad when their favourite hawker retired or closed their stalls as they didn't have successors. Crispina said, 'Alongside infrastructure, this is the main challenge, right?' to which Minister Fu replied that the livelihood of a hawker is not something Singapore's younger generation would aspire to. They are well-educated, and 'there's actually better livelihoods besides being a hawker.' She continued by saying that Singaporeans needed to think about how to treat their hawkers better, and if there was a better way to share food costs. 'I always think that if you're prepared to pay S$18 or S$20 for a pasta, why are you not prepared to pay S$5 for wanton mee? So sometimes we expect too much from our hawkers as well,' she said. 'They actually don't raise their prices often. They don't raise it every year. Their costs have gone up.' This ignited a firestorm of angry responses from netizens. Many comments blasted Minister Fu for being 'out of touch', and some also asked if she had eaten at a hawker centre recently. The cost of rental was also repeatedly highlighted, with several saying it was a main factor for rising prices. Another netizen commented that while they did agree that hawkers needed to raise their prices in order to have a sustainable livelihood, they also said that it was likely all the money would be 'sucked by landlords'. Yet another said that due to the government constantly framing hawker food as 'cheap', Singaporeans have come to expect that all forms of it need to be 'cheap'. However, one netizen reframed the situation as follows. At the risk of getting yelled at, I do believe that it's not reasonable to expect prices of hawker food not to go up. If doing backbreaking work and toiling long hours as a hawker doesn't give someone the means to live comfortably, then why become one? While I don't want to pay S$10 for a bowl of wanton mee, there has to be something in the trade to make it worthwhile for new blood to want to continue our hawkers' legacies. Perhaps one day soon, a happy medium can be found between keeping hawker fare affordable, while providing them a reason to take up this trade to preserve our cultural heritage. $6.50 for 'small' vegetarian bee hoon? Netizens react to rising vegetarian food prices The post 'Why are you not prepared to pay $5 for wanton mee?' – Minister's comments spark outrage from netizens appeared first on
