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SINGAPORE: Even before the GST hike takes effect, grassroots agencies and social welfare organisations have been reaching out to the elderly and needy Singaporeans, to help prepare them for the changes.
Things will get a little more expensive for Madam Chua Siu Hong and her husband, when the GST increase kicks in 1 July.
But thanks to the government's offset package, they will each receive S$500 a year, over the next four years.
That is S$250 each in GST Credits, plus another S$250 as part of their Senior Citizen's Bonus.
One-third of their Senior Citizen's Bonus will be paid directly into their MediSave Account, the rest will be disbursed as cash.
Having signed up online before 25 June, they will receive their first instalment on 1 July.
But being illiterate, they almost missed the registration deadline.
It was staff from the nearby TOUCH Seniors Activity Centre who helped them out.
Says Madam Chua, "The letter telling us about the GST credits, I can't read, so I got the centre's staff to read it to me. The staff told me to bring my IC and passbook and she'll register for me".
The centre has helped about 160 elderly Singaporeans, most of them from one- or two-room rental flats, sign up for their GST Credits
For housebound residents such as 87-year-old Bachan Singh, help extends right to the doorstep.
Mr Bachan is among more than 540,000 elderly Singaporeans who will receive the Senior Citizens' Bonus of between S$200 and S$1000 over four years.
This is part of the GST offset measures, provided to over 2.4 million Singaporeans, and includes rebates on utilities and HDB rental flats.
S$5 million will also be given to the ComCare Fund over five years to help needy families cope with the additional burden of the GST increase.
Such measures are only temporary - either one-off rebates or spread out over several years.
Three of Anni Roszalena’s five children will receive top-ups in their Post-Secondary Education Accounts, while another child will get a bigger kindergarten subsidy.
But taking a long-term view, Anni says she has to manage her money better, especially with the GST increase.
That is where the North East Community Development Council's budgeting talk will help.
Says Chan Hwee Bin, a trainer, "Talking Dollars and Sense", "What we encourage them to do is to ask themselves what alternatives they have.
For example, detergent. Do they have to use this detergent, or do they have alternative choices, or alternative places that they can shop at. Or can they use less, are they using too much? That is the way we want them to be more flexible, to control their household expenses."
"Now I know how to budget, save a lot. I get a clear picture of cash flow," says Anni.
Most grassroots and social welfare organisations say while they do not have programmes that specifically address the GST hike, they are confident that through their existing schemes they will be able to reach out to those who need help the most. - CNA/yy
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