1.6m S’poreans to get letters on GST vouchers, other Budget benefits from tomorrow
TODAY file photo
SINGAPORE — From tomorrow (July 1), 1.6 million Singaporeans will start receiving letters informing them of their GST Voucher (GSTV) payouts, as well as other benefits announced during Budget 2015 earlier this year.
In a statement today, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) said that most Singaporeans should automatically receive their GSTV payouts and 5-Year Medisave top-ups. For those who have not signed up for past government payouts and/or are not Central Provident Fund (CPF) members, the letters they receive will inform them of the actions they must take by Dec 31 to receive the benefits.
GSTV-Cash, GSTV-Seniors’ Bonus
Eligible Singaporeans will receive up to S$300 cash in GSTV-Cash this year. This follows from the Budget 2015 announcement of a permanent S$50 increase in the annual GSTV-Cash quantum to help lower-income households with their cost of living. About 1.3 million Singaporeans will receive the GSTV–Cash on Aug 1.
More than 660,000 older Singaporeans will also receive a one-off GSTV-Seniors’ Bonus, which is in addition to the S$300 GSTV-Cash.
Eligible seniors aged between 55 and 64 stand to receive up to S$300, while those aged 65 and above can receive up to S$600.
GSTV – Medisave
About 400,000 Singaporeans aged 65 years and above will also receive the GSTV–Medisave of up to S$450 on Aug 1 on top of additional Medisave top-ups like the Pioneer Generation Medisave Top-Up and the 5-Year Medisave Top-Up Scheme.
Other benefits
Other benefits that will be given out this year include the quarterly GSTV-U-Save and the Service & Conservancy Charges (S&CC) rebates. Next month, over 800,000 eligible hosehold will receive up to S$65 to help them offset their utilities cost under the GSTV–U-Save scheme, while around 800,000 eligible households will get S&CC rebates amounting to about a half-month to one-month of charges, depending on their HDB flat type.
Here's are examples of how the GST vouchers might pan out:
For example, a retiree Pioneer who is 76 years old this year and lives in an HDB flat (and does not own a second property) will receive the benefits below in 2015. A Pioneer couple in the same situation will get $1,800 in cash, and $1,900 in Medisave top-ups.
Meanwhile, a lower-income couple in their early 60s living in an HDB flat (and do not own a second property) will hence get $1,200 in cash, and $400 in Medisave top-ups in 2015.
A working couple in their 40s, with both the husband and wife each having a monthly salary of $2,000, living in a HDB flat (and do not own a second property), can receive a total of $600 in cash in 2015.
More information on GST Vouchers can be found at www.gstvoucher.gov.sg or by calling 1800 2222 888 or emailing contactus [at] gstvoucher.gov.sg. The same contact number maybe also be used for details on the 5-Year Medisave Top-Up or emailing contactus [at] govtopup.gov.sg.
Details on GSTV — U-Save can be obtained by calling 6671-7117 or emailing spservices [at] singaporepower.com.sg and questions related to S&CC can be directed to 1800-866-3078 or sccrebates [at] mailbox.hdb.gov.sg.
