SINGAPORE, Feb 6 — The Singapore government will allocate S$7 billion (RM22.93 billion) towards marriage and parenthood initiatives in the 2026 financial year, the Straits Times (ST) reported today.
This represents a significant increase from the S$4 billion spent in 2020.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Indranee Rajah, shared the projection during a parliamentary session yesterday. She explained that the funding boost stems from recent policy reforms aimed at strengthening the early childhood sector and expanding parental leave entitlements.
Despite global trends of declining family formation and fertility rates, Rajah emphasised that Singapore continues to prioritise its families.
The S$7 billion is in addition to other government subsidies for sectors like education and housing, further cementing the government’s commitment to fostering a supportive environment for family life.
Indranee pointed out that while the decision to marry and have children is deeply personal, surveys show that most Singaporeans aspire to start families, which offers a hopeful outlook for the future.
Over the past five years, the Singapore government has implemented a series of bold policy shifts aimed at improving the marriage and parenthood landscape. These include a new shared parental leave scheme, announced at the 2024 National Day Rally, which will grant parents an additional 10 weeks of paid leave, costing S$400 million annually by 2026.
Housing has also been a key focus. Indranee noted that, despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, construction delays have been overcome. The government has exceeded its target of launching 100,000 Build-to-Order (BTO) flats between 2021 and 2025.
Looking ahead, the government is committed to meeting ongoing housing demand with the release of over 50,000 flats between 2025 and 2027.
According to ST, the parliamentary debate saw over 20 MPs call for continued updates to policies that support marriage and parenthood, with many proposing additional housing subsidies and financial support for families.
Indranee acknowledged these concerns, highlighting enhanced subsidies such as the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant, which offers up to S$120,000 for first-time BTO buyers and up to S$230,000 for resale flats.
On the financial support front, the Singapore government will increase the MediSave Grant for Newborns from S$4,000 to S$5,000 in April. Additionally, parents will continue to benefit from the Baby Bonus Scheme, receiving up to S$25,000 for their first child and up to S$38,000 for subsequent children. A new scheme to assist large families will also be unveiled in the upcoming Budget.
