Latest news with #CommunityDevelopmentCouncil
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Singapore's CDC vouchers scheme: How to claim and spend your May 2025 CDC vouchers?
Singaporean households can now claim and use their $500 Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers, announced Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Tuesday (13 May) at the Nee Soon South Community Club. The CDC vouchers scheme started in June 2020 to help Singaporean lower-income households defray their cost of living, and at the same time, to support hawkers and heartland merchants affected by COVID-19 pandemic. During Budget 2021, former Minister for Finance Heng Swee Keat announced the $130 million CDC Vouchers Scheme that saw each Singaporean household receiving $100 CDC vouchers. The scheme was continued after the pandemic to help alleviate the impact of rising prices on Singaporeans. The May 2025 tranche of CDC vouchers was announced in Budget 2025 as part of the enhancements to the Assurance Package and is meant to help Singaporeans with daily expenses. Each Singaporean household will receive a total of $800 in CDC vouchers for FY2025 and it will be paid out in two tranches — $500 in May and $300 in January 2026. This is in addition to the $300 CDC vouchers Singaporean households received in January 2025 as part of the enhancements to the Assurance Package announced during Budget 2024. As per previous tranches, the May CDC vouchers will be allocated equally — $250 for spending at participating heartland merchants/hawkers and $250 for spending at participating supermarkets. Do note that the CDC vouchers from January 2025 and May 2025 expire on 31 Dec 2025. Claiming your May CDC vouchers is the same if you've claimed your previous tranches of CDC vouchers before. Simply visit and tap on "CDC Vouchers 2025 (May)", then log in with your Singpass account. Only one household member needs to redeem the vouchers on behalf of the entire household. The person will receive an SMS with the voucher link from " and forward the link to the other members of the household. When you want to use your CDC voucher(s), select which type of voucher and the amount you want to use. Then, show the QR code to the participating merchant for them to scan. To identify which are the participating hawker and heartland merchants, look for the teal decal pictured below. To identify participating supermarkets, look for the yellow decal pictured below. You can also check out to search for the nearest participating hawkers and heartland merchants, and participating supermarkets. If you do not have a smartphone or Singpass, or for further enquiries or assistance, visit your nearest Community Centre/Club (CC) or call the PA Contact Centre at 6225 5322. While you could previously donate all unspent CDC vouchers in 2024, donation details for the 2025 CDC Vouchers Scheme have yet to be announced. According to details will be announced at a later date. All Singaporean households are also encouraged to claim and spend their 2025 CDC vouchers.
Online Citizen
20-05-2025
- Business
- Online Citizen
‘Per person, not per household': Reddit user critiques CDC voucher scheme as inequitable
SINGAPORE: As the latest S$500 Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers were rolled out to Singaporean households, a Reddit user's post questioning the fairness of the distribution model sparked a discussion: Should the vouchers be allocated per person instead of per household? Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced the new tranche of CDC vouchers during a community event at Nee Soon South Community Club on 13 May 2025. He reiterated that the vouchers are part of a broader, ongoing Government initiative to help Singaporeans cope with rising costs. 'This is not a one-off exercise,' he said. 'The Government will provide the help for as long as it is needed.' Wong acknowledged concerns about sustainability but assured the public that Singapore's fiscal strategy remains sound. He attributed the country's current financial strength to earlier decisions to raise taxes, stating that this placed Singapore in a good position to fund such support measures. He added that the CDC vouchers are part of the evolving 'Forward Singapore' roadmap and are not meant to be a standalone solution. Each household is now entitled to S$500 worth of CDC vouchers—split evenly between heartland merchants and hawkers (S$250) and participating supermarkets (S$250). The vouchers are valid until 31 December 2025, with another S$300 due in January 2026, bringing the total to S$800 for the financial year. Redditor u/Dizzy_Boysenberry499 took to r/singapore on Wednesday (14 May) and expressed concerns over the household-based distribution of vouchers. 'I understand that there are many criticisms about CDC vouchers, some more valid than others,' they wrote. 'I can accept that CDC vouchers are in voucher form and not cash to ensure spending supports legitimate household expenses and local businesses. But what I cannot agree with is giving them per household instead of per person.' The user highlighted that larger households are effectively penalised, as the per-capita value of vouchers decreases with more occupants. 'Imagine if a household has five people living at one address—they're being punished because they get less voucher support per capita.' They also pointed out contradictions in Government messaging. '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-18s and full value for adults.' The same commenter noted that multigenerational households who care for elderly parents are also disadvantaged. 'The Government wants to encourage people to care for their parents instead of putting them in old folks' homes. Why are we punishing people who are doing so?' Public Echoes Calls for Per-Capita Distribution Many netizens supported the idea that vouchers should be distributed per person, arguing that it doesn't make sense for households with more people to receive the same amount as those with fewer occupants. One user commented, 'Agree—bigger families should have a higher quantum, seeing that the primary purpose of this is to aid in cost of living (COL).' Some suggested specific figures, 'If we were to give individual vouchers, each person should get at least S$200.' Others were more cynical, suggesting that the per-household model was chosen to reduce Government expenditure. 'Govt gives per household so they can save money, but still claim credit for giving money to help everyone in the country.' Criticism of CDC Vouchers as 'Superficial Fix' A number of commenters questioned the effectiveness of CDC vouchers altogether, describing them as superficial or symbolic solutions that do little to resolve the deeper economic pressures. One user remarked that vouchers are not even comparable to a band-aid, as at least a band-aid can stop bleeding and prevent infection. Instead, they likened CDC vouchers to cheap alcohol—offering only temporary relief, like getting high and drunk for a night to forget the pain. But by the next morning, they said, the wound remains—and is still bleeding. Others criticised the reactive nature of Government aid. 'Most of these cost-of-living help schemes are like virus patch updates. You find a symptom, you fix the symptom. There's not much anticipation or effort to go to the root cause.' Another user commented, 'Many tranches of CDC vouchers just sound absurd. It's like managing symptoms instead of solving the actual problem.' One suggested that addressing broader issues like business rental costs would be more effective. 'How about solving the out-of-control rental costs affecting store owners that make everything unaffordable?' Calls for Systemic Change A particularly pointed criticism questioned the decision to raise the Goods and Services Tax (GST) while simultaneously issuing vouchers. 'Why raise the GST, then give out vouchers? It's like killing someone and apologising afterwards.' Others proposed systemic changes, such as linking CDC funding to broader wage reforms. One suggestion was to scrap the voucher scheme entirely and instead mandate a minimum wage increase that keeps pace with inflation. The commenter argued that the funds used for CDC vouchers could be redirected to subsidise companies that hire local workers, have local leadership, and are based in Singapore. If wages rose in line with inflation, they added, there would be far less need for such temporary assistance. One user remarked that while many people likely support the CDC voucher scheme in general, the more controversial question is whether most Singaporeans actually need the vouchers at all. They suggested that a more permanent solution to cost-of-living (COL) issues would be preferable. Another user questioned the long-term sustainability of the CDC voucher scheme, noting that calls for systemic reforms are often met with concerns about depleting national reserves—yet similar scrutiny isn't applied to recurring voucher handouts. They also pointed out that the vouchers are not well-targeted, as all households receive the same amount regardless of size or income. This uniform distribution, they argued, may be just as much a case of 'raiding the reserves' as any other proposed reform.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
CDC Vouchers 2025 just released
On 13 May 2025, Singaporean households received S$500 in Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers. These May 2025 CDC vouchers are part of the 2025 Budget's enhanced Assurance Package, designed to mitigate cost-of-living pressures amid global economic challenges. An additional S$300 in CDC vouchers will be paid out in Jan 2026, bringing the total to S$800 for the financial year. The May 2025 CDC vouchers are evenly split: S$250 for use at participating heartland merchants and hawkers, and S$250 for supermarkets like NTUC FairPrice, Sheng Siong, Cold Storage, Giant Singapore, HAO Mart, Prime Supermarket and U Stars Supermarket. With this approach, both local businesses and Singaporean homes benefit. Over 97% of households claimed the previous January tranche, spending more than S$324 million, mainly on food and groceries. Households with at least one Singapore citizen can access their vouchers via To claim them, just one member of these eligible households needs to log in with their Singpass. They will receive a unique voucher link for the home via SMS. This link can be shared with the rest of the household so each member can use it concurrently. The May 2025 CDC vouchers are valid until 31 Dec 2025. Supermarkets are running promotions to coincide with this launch. FairPrice Group, Cold Storage and Giant are offering a S$6 return voucher for every S$60 spent in a single CDC voucher transaction from 13 to 19 May 2025. There is no minimum spend when you use the return voucher. All adult Singaporeans will also receive SG60 vouchers in Jul 2025. All citizens above the age of 21 will get S$600 while seniors aged 60 and above will receive S$800. These vouchers can be used at all businesses where CDC vouchers are accepted. Please be mindful when you claim your May 2025 CDC vouchers online. Do not respond to requests asking for your banking credentials, OTP or password. Do not transfer any money or install apps from any websites. None of these are required to claim your CDC vouchers. If you suspect a scam, call the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline at 1799. Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge: World's thinnest flagship phone slips into Singapore The post CDC Vouchers 2025 just released appeared first on
Online Citizen
13-05-2025
- Business
- Online Citizen
PM Wong launches latest CDC voucher tranche, vows continued support for cost-of-living challenges
Singaporean households can now claim S$500 in Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers, announced Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on 13 May 2025 at Nee Soon South Community Club. He emphasised that the vouchers are not a one-time solution, but part of ongoing Government efforts to support residents with the rising cost of living. 'I assure all of you that this is not a one-off exercise, and the Government will provide the help for as long as it is needed,' said Wong. Wong acknowledged public concern about the sustainability of such schemes and reaffirmed that Singapore's fiscal strategy is sound. The decision to raise taxes earlier this decade, although difficult, placed the country in a strong financial position to support such assistance. He said the current tranche is just one part of a broader framework of support that will continue evolving through the Forward Singapore initiative. The S$500 in CDC vouchers is equally split between spending at heartland merchants and hawkers (S$250) and participating supermarkets (S$250). Supermarket chains in the scheme include NTUC FairPrice, Sheng Siong, Giant Singapore, Cold Storage, Prime Supermarket, Ang Mo Supermarket, U Stars Supermarket, and HAO Mart. Households can claim their vouchers via using Singpass. A unique voucher link will be sent via SMS to the registered mobile number and can be shared among household members. No printed notification letters will be issued for this round. Instead, information will be distributed through online platforms, newspapers, and community posters. Support for the digitally less-savvy For residents unfamiliar with digital tools, assistance will be available at community centres and SG Digital Community Hubs. Between 13 and 26 May, more than 200 youth volunteers and digital ambassadors will support residents in claiming vouchers. There will also be priority queues for seniors and persons with disabilities. Additional help will be offered for those without smartphones or those needing Singpass account assistance. Low Yen Ling, Mayor of the South West District, noted that residents who still require physical vouchers can print them at community centres. 'Even as we roll out more rounds, we will not stop looking at how we can continue to improve the process… and evolve towards an environmentally sustainable approach,' she added. Voucher validity and upcoming distributions This round of CDC vouchers is valid until 31 December 2025. In January 2026, each household will receive an additional S$300, bringing the total CDC voucher allocation for the financial year to S$800. In addition to the vouchers, Singaporeans will receive SG60 Vouchers in July 2025. All adult Singaporeans will get S$600, while seniors aged 60 and above will receive an additional S$200. The SG60 vouchers will be accepted at all businesses that already accept CDC vouchers. Wong highlighted additional support measures announced during the 2025 Budget. Parents with children aged 12 and below will receive LifeSG credits. Those aged 13 to 20 will see top-ups to their Edusave or Post-Secondary Education Accounts. Households will also receive U-Save rebates. These combined measures mean a typical family of four with two young children could receive approximately S$5,000 in financial support this year. 'We will continue to review and strengthen our social support system across housing, healthcare, education, and retirement,' said Wong. According to the People's Association (PA) and the CDC, about 97.3 per cent of households claimed the previous tranche of vouchers issued in January 2025. Of the claimed vouchers, more than S$324 million—equivalent to 83.4 per cent—has already been spent. Low reported that around 92 per cent of the vouchers were spent on food and groceries at supermarkets and heartland minimarts. 'We look at these numbers to assess whether we are on track. The scheme was designed to ease household expenses and support our local merchants and hawkers,' she said. Since the CDC voucher scheme began in December 2021, more than S$1.92 billion has been spent. Of that, S$1.06 billion went to heartland merchants and hawkers, while over S$857 million was spent at supermarkets.
AsiaOne
13-05-2025
- Business
- AsiaOne
'Not a one-off exercise': PM Wong launches latest tranche of $500 CDC vouchers , Singapore News
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced on Tuesday (May 13) that as part of the government's ongoing efforts to support daily expenses, all Singaporeans households can now redeem and use $500 worth of Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers. PM Wong — who is also the Minister for Finance —had shared during Budget 2025 in February that all Singaporean households will receive $800 in CDC vouchers to help with the cost of living. The vouchers will be distributed in two tranches, $500 in May 2025 and $300 in January 2026. For the May tranche, as with previous rounds, $250 will be allocated for spending at participating hawkers and heartland merchants, and $250 for use at participating supermarkets. Speaking at the launch of the seventh tranche of the CDC voucher scheme at Nee Soon South Community Club today (May 13), PM Wong said that this is "not a one-off exercise," and that the Government will "continue to provide help for as long as it is needed", reported The Straits Times. PM Wong also said the Government has always prioritised fiscal responsibility. "We want to make sure that when we spend more, we are doing it for the benefit of Singaporeans, but the spending is also sustainable over the medium to longer term," he added. [[nid:714775]] Also at the launch of the latest tranche of CDC vouchers were the five mayors - Low Yen Ling, Denise Phua Lay Peng, Desmond Choo, Alex Yam and Fahmi Aliman. Supermarkets offer deals for CDC voucher users Separately, major supermarkets here are introducing promotions for the use of the latest $500 CDC vouchers. FairPrice Group said they will distribute a $6 return voucher for every $60 worth of CDC supermarket vouchers spent in a single transaction at any FairPrice store from May 13 to 19. Customers at Giant, Cold Storage, CS Fresh and Jasons Deli will also get a $6 return voucher when they spend a minimum of $60 with their CDC vouchers in a single receipt from May 13 to 19. Sheng Siong, on the other hand, will offer discounts of up to 50 per cent on selected products with a minimum spend of $50 in a single receipt using CDC vouchers from May 13 till June 11. CDC vouchers: How to redeem From May 13, Singaporean households can visit and log in with Singpass to claim the digital vouchers. After that, the claimant will receive an SMS with a unique voucher link from to his or her mobile phone number. The link can be shared with other household members. As of May 12, about 97.3 per cent of Singaporean households, including new households formed, have claimed the CDC vouchers which were disbursed in January 2025. For more details on the CDC Vouchers Scheme 2025, visit [[nid:716797]]
