Latest news with #subsidies
Reuters
18 hours ago
- Automotive
- Reuters
China's EV buying subsidies for 2025 end in parts of Xian, local media says
BEIJING, July 22 (Reuters) - A 2025 government subsidy scheme for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid purchases ended last month in three districts in the city of Xian, the capital of China's Shaanxi province, local official media Shaanxi Daily reported on Tuesday. The three districts are set to stop accepting applications for the subsidies later in July, according to the report. It did not give a reason for the pause or disclose what might happen in other districts. Some Chinese cities, including Zhengzhou and Luoyang, suspended trade-in subsidies for car buyers because the first round of funding allocated by Beijing for the scheme was running out, Reuters reported in June. The state planner and finance ministry said last month that consumer trade-in subsidies for the remainder of the year would be issued in July and October respectively.
CNA
20 hours ago
- Business
- CNA
About 20,000 people received incorrect subsidies, grants due to issue with means-testing system: MOH
SINGAPORE: About 20,000 people received incorrect subsidies or grants after a "processing issue" in a means-testing system managed by the Ministry of Health (MOH). Of these, about 2,000 people received lower-than-intended subsidies. The total value of under-subsidies is about S$2 million, averaging around S$1,000 per affected person, the ministry said in response to CNA's queries. The remaining 18,000 received higher subsidies, with the total value amounting to about S$7 million – around S$390 per affected individual. In a media release on Monday (Jul 21), MOH said it has completed the reassessment of the affected people. "MOH will adjust their means-test and subsidy tiers back to the intended levels from Jul 21, 2025 onwards," it added. For those who received an over-subsidy, they will not have to return the excess subsidy or grant amounts that have already been paid. "For the minority of individuals who received lower than intended subsidies and/or grants, agencies will make good the difference," said the ministry. The means-testing system managed by MOH, called the Household Means Eligibility System (HOMES), typically uses income information from the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) to assess individuals with business income. However, in January 2025, the system could not appropriately account for the business incomes of selected individuals following changes in the data processing timelines. This led to "inaccurate means-testing" for individuals with business incomes and members of their households between Jan 1 and Jan 27, MOH said. Affected schemes and what to expect AFFECTED MOH SCHEMES CareShield Life and MediShield Life premium subsidies and Additional Premium Support (APS) Affected individuals will receive the correct premium subsidies at their next policy renewal. APS recipients will continue to have their premiums covered based on their approved validity period. All affected individuals will be notified via letter. No action is required on their part. Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) Affected CHAS cardholders will receive letters detailing any required actions, if any. Subsidies for long-term care services Affected individuals will receive the corrected subsidies from the next billing cycle or payout date. Seniors' Mobility and Enabling Fund, Equipment Rental Scheme, Home Caregiving Grant and ElderFund Affected individuals will be informed of their adjusted subsidy or payout. Subsidies for day surgeries, inpatient services, specialist outpatient clinics, polyclinic drugs/vaccines and community hospital services From July 2025, public healthcare institutions will notify individuals who received lower-than-intended subsidies and adjust their bills accordingly. Reimbursements will be issued where applicable. No action is required from individuals. AFFECTED NON-MOH SCHEMES ECDA: Preschool subsidies and early intervention schemes ECDA will inform affected parents, preschools and early intervention centres of the adjusted subsidies from Jul 22. The corrected subsidies will take effect from August 2025 onwards. IMDA: DigitalAccess@Home Scheme (DAH) The affected households will be informed from Jul 22. Households who were under-subsidised will receive the correct subsidies and be automatically reimbursed. Those with higher subsidies will continue to receive them for the remaining validity period of the household's current DAH award. Their eligibility will be reviewed when they apply for a new DAH award. MOE: Higher education bursaries and Kindergarten Care (KCare) additional subsidies The Institutes of Higher Learning will inform affected students. No action is required from the students. Affected children attending MOE KCare will have their corrected subsidies applied from August 2025 and will be notified accordingly. SG Enable will work with service providers to inform the affected individuals receiving the subsidies from Jul 22. The corrected subsidies will apply from August 2025 onwards. Around 19,000 people who are under schemes administered by MOH were affected, the Health Ministry said. Another 1,000 people were also affected despite being under other schemes managed by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), Ministry of Education (MOE), and Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA). This is because "HOMES also provides means-testing results for selected subsidy schemes across the government", MOH added. Those affected by the issue represent less than 3 per cent of all individuals means-tested during the Jan 1 to Jan 27 period, the ministry said. MOH said that the agencies will reach out to inform affected individuals progressively, and there is no action required on their part.
CNA
2 days ago
- Business
- CNA
20,000 people affected by 'processing issue' with means-testing system managed by MOH
SINGAPORE: About 20,000 people have been affected by a processing issue in the Household Means Eligibility System (HOMES), a means-testing system managed by the Ministry of Health (MOH). The majority of those affected received higher-than-intended subsidies and grants, MOH said in a media release on Monday (Jul 21). The rest received subsidies and grants that were lower than intended. Corrections to subsidy and grant levels are currently being made, following the discovery of the issue, the ministry added. HOMES typically uses income information from the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) to means-test individuals with business income, said MOH. However, in January 2025, the system could not appropriately account for the business incomes of selected individuals following changes in the data processing timelines. This led to "inaccurate means-testing" for individuals with business incomes and members of their households between Jan 1 and Jan 27. Around 19,000 people who are under schemes administered by MOH were affected, the Health Ministry said. Another 1,000 people were also affected despite being under other schemes managed by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), Ministry of Education (MOE), and Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA). This is because "HOMES also provides means-testing results for selected subsidy schemes across the government", MOH added. Those affected by the issue represent less than 3 per cent of all individuals means-tested during the Jan 1 to Jan 27 period, the ministry said. Affected schemes and what to expect AFFECTED MOH SCHEMES CareShield Life and MediShield Life premium subsidies and Additional Premium Support (APS) Affected individuals will receive the correct premium subsidies at their next policy renewal. APS recipients will continue to have their premiums covered based on their approved validity period. All affected individuals will be notified via letter. No action is required on their part. Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) Affected CHAS cardholders will receive letters detailing any required actions, if any. Subsidies for long-term care services Affected individuals will receive the corrected subsidies from the next billing cycle or payout date. Seniors' Mobility and Enabling Fund, Equipment Rental Scheme, Home Caregiving Grant and ElderFund Affected individuals will be informed of their adjusted subsidy or payout. Subsidies for day surgeries, inpatient services, specialist outpatient clinics, polyclinic drugs/vaccines and community hospital services From July 2025, public healthcare institutions will notify individuals who received lower-than-intended subsidies and adjust their bills accordingly. Reimbursements will be issued where applicable. No action is required from individuals. AFFECTED NON-MOH SCHEMES ECDA: Preschool subsidies and early intervention schemes ECDA will inform affected parents, preschools and early intervention centres of the adjusted subsidies from Jul 22. The corrected subsidies will take effect from August 2025 onwards. IMDA: DigitalAccess@Home Scheme (DAH) The affected households will be informed from Jul 22. Households who were under-subsidised will receive the correct subsidies and be automatically reimbursed. Those with higher subsidies will continue to receive them for the remaining validity period of the household's current DAH award. Their eligibility will be reviewed when they apply for a new DAH award. MOE: Higher education bursaries and Kindergarten Care (KCare) additional subsidies The Institutes of Higher Learning will inform affected students. No action is required from the students. Affected children attending MOE KCare will have their corrected subsidies applied from August 2025 and will be notified accordingly. SG Enable will work with service providers to inform the affected individuals receiving the subsidies from Jul 22. The corrected subsidies will apply from August 2025 onwards. MOH said it has completed the reassessment of the affected people and "will adjust their means-test and subsidy tiers back to the intended levels" from Jul 21 onwards. "For those who received an over-subsidy, they will not have to return the excess subsidy and/or grant amounts that have already been paid," the ministry said. "For the minority of individuals who received lower than intended subsidies and/or) grants, agencies will make good the difference." MOH said that the agencies will reach out to inform affected individuals progressively, and there is no action required on their part.
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Britain's failed water system won't be fixed by penalising wealthier users
SIR – You report (July 20) that the Government could consider charging the middle classes more for their water in order to subsidise poorer households. It set me wondering where such manipulation of commodity prices – an indirect form of tax – might end. By this warped logic, could the middle class also be lumbered with higher gas and electricity prices, or more expensive food? The possibilities are endless. The Government would be able to claim it was sticking to its pre-election pledge not to increase taxes on working people – even working middle-class people. It would just increase costs to the working middle class under a different name. Terry Lloyd Darley Abbey, Derbyshire SIR – Middle-class households are being expected to subsidise others more and more. Paying higher water bills is now being proposed. Surely, however, the time will come when they can't afford to do this. Indeed, that time may have already arrived. Laura Madden Broughton Astley, Leicestershire SIR – My wife and I are both now retired, but were formerly working-class. We own our property and rely on our pension income, with no additional benefits. We pay our dues. I worry that, because we have been prudent throughout our 60 years of marriage, we will be categorised as middle-class by this class-obsessed Government. Why should we be charged more for our water supply in order to subsidise low-income families? They should be responsible for settling their outgoings in the same manner as pensioners and the middle classes. If our welfare system continues on its current trajectory, the desire to take up employment will become a thing of the past. We are already on the downward slope towards mass unemployment. John Hinchsliff Longridge, Lancashire SIR – I empathise with Robin Willow (Letters, July 20) over his increased Thames Water bills, but would add that the current pricing structure applied by that company penalises low users. The fixed charges for supply and waste have risen significantly, resulting in massively increased bills for those of us who use the least water. How can this be fair? Barry Sheldon Cholsey, Oxfordshire SIR – It appears that hydrangeas have joined the ranks of middle-class targets in Labour's war on perceived privilege. With peak water rates cunningly aligned with the flowering season, one must ask: where will all this end? Dermot Shortt Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire
Telegraph
4 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Reform is right to target Miliband's outrageously expensive wind subsidies
The green lobby is in uproar. Apparently investors may never trust the UK government ever again. Democracy itself is under threat. So what has prompted this hysteria? It is a letter sent this week by Richard Tice, the deputy leader of Reform UK, to the chief executives of major renewables developers to inform them that any new contracts they sign for subsidies may be cancelled by a future government. Tice's intention is simple: to deter these companies and their investors from participating in the upcoming seventh auction for contracts for difference (CfD), which offer green energy generators a guaranteed minimum price for their power. The timing of his letter coincides with a flurry of government announcements suggesting the next auction will impose billions in additional costs on energy bills. The length of subsidies are to be extended from 15 to 20 years – likely in a bid to lower the headline cost levels – and various other amendments have been made that prioritise volume over value by incentivising maximum deployment, rather than lowest cost. Tice is rightly worried about the cost impacts both on heavy industry, which is already struggling with the highest industrial electricity prices in the developed world, and households, more of which risk being pushed into fuel poverty.
