Budget 2025 debate: Gan Thiam Poh on support for low-income workers, families and couples

Singapore must continue to support low-income workers in lifelong learning and training programmes to upgrade their skills. With relevant and in-demand skillsets, they will be empowered to get better and higher-paying jobs. MP Gan Thiam Poh said this in parliament on Wednesday (Feb 26). To help these workers, he called for the government to consider boosting the Workfare Income Supplement Scheme. He also urged the government to do more to support large families, such as by providing them with reserve allocations, higher priority and even grants for bigger HDB flats, with a quantum correlated to the number of children they have. He also asked the government to provide more comprehensive and integrated support and funding to couples who are willing to have children.