COVID-19 Recovery Grant extended by one more year

SINGAPORE: The application period for the COVID-19 Recovery Grant will be extended until Dec 31, 2022 to provide additional support for those who are financially impacted by the pandemic, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) said on Tuesday (Dec 21).

The extension adds an additional year to the deadline which was until the last day of 2021.   

Those who are eligible can now receive up to three tranches, or nine months in total, of support from the grant. This is up from the previous cap of two tranches in 2021, MSF said in a media release.

People who have received the grant previously but remain significantly affected may apply for a third tranche from Jan 1, 2022. Current grant recipients can also apply to renew their support if they are in the final month of assistance or if assistance has already ended, the ministry said.

The pay-outs given out under a temporary recovery grant earlier this year are not included as part of the three tranches, MSF added. 

The COVID-19 Recovery Grant was launched on Jan 18 to support lower- to middle-income workers and self-employed people affected by the pandemic.

The grant has supported around 27,000 people and disbursed about S$57 million as of Dec 5, said MSF.

Some Singaporeans’ financial and employment circumstances continue to be affected although the economic outlook has improved since the start of the pandemic, the ministry said.

“In view of the uneven economic recovery and fluid COVID-19 public health situation, we will continue to support affected workers while they actively search for a new job or pursue training opportunities,” it added.

Those who receive a third tranche of the grant will also be provided with further assistance in their job search from NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute and Workforce Singapore.

ADJUSTMENTS TO ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Those applying for the grant in 2022 are required to submit proof of work for at least six months between January 2020 and December 2021, instead of the current criteria which indicate the period from January 2019 to December 2020.

Self-employed people who wish to apply should also have declared their net trade income in either 2020 or 2021 – instead of 2019 or 2020.

MSF added that it will take reference from the average monthly net trade income in 2020 or 2021, to align with the extended application period.

The other eligibility requirements as well as the amount provided through each tranche remain unchanged, the ministry said.

Those who wish to apply for the COVID-19 Recovery Grant can continue doing so via the online portal which operates around the clock.