More than 2.4 million adult Singaporeans will receive a one-off cash payment of between S$400 and S$600 in September 2026.
The Enhanced Budget 2026 Cost-of-Living Special Payment will be distributed automatically, with the first payments arriving by 9 September.
Here is the important question: How much will you receive?
How Much Cash Will You Get?
According to GovBenefits, your payment depends on two factors: your assessable income and the Annual Value (AV) of your place of residence.
| Assessable income for YA 2025 | Home AV up to S$15,000 | Home AV above S$15,000 and up to S$31,000 | Home AV above S$31,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to S$22,000 | S$600 | S$500 | S$400 |
| Above S$22,000 and up to S$39,000 | S$500 | S$500 | S$400 |
| Above S$39,000 and up to S$100,000 | S$400 | S$400 | S$400 |
In other words, the full S$600 goes to recipients whose assessable income does not exceed S$22,000 and whose home has an Annual Value of up to S$15,000.
Anyone with an assessable income above S$39,000 but not exceeding S$100,000 will receive S$400, regardless of their home’s Annual Value.
Who Is Eligible?
You must meet all the following conditions:
- Be a Singapore citizen residing in Singapore
- Be aged 21 or older in 2026
- Have an assessable income of no more than S$100,000 for the Year of Assessment 2025
- Own no more than one property
The income assessment uses money earned in 2024, which was assessed by the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore for YA 2025.
Assessable income is not necessarily the same as your gross salary. It includes taxable income from sources such as employment, business and rent, after applicable deductions.
Annual Value, meanwhile, refers broadly to the estimated yearly rent that a property could fetch. It is not the property’s purchase price or resale value.
Eligible recipients can confirm their status by logging in to the GovBenefits website with Singpass.
When Will the Money Arrive?
The payment date depends on how you receive government cash benefits.
| Payment method | What you need to do | Payment date |
|---|---|---|
| PayNow-NRIC | Link your NRIC to PayNow by 30 August | By 9 September |
| Bank crediting | Submit bank details through GovBenefits by 31 August if required | By 17 September |
| GovCash | Used if you have neither PayNow-NRIC nor registered bank details | By 24 September |
No application is required for the payout itself.
PayNow-NRIC is the default payment method. Those who have not linked their NRIC to PayNow are encouraged to do so through their bank by 30 August if they want to receive the money by 9 September.
Recipients will receive SMS notifications before and after the payment is credited. Those without a mobile number registered with Singpass will receive a letter at their NRIC address.
The SMS will come from “gov.sg” and will not contain links or ask recipients to reply or provide information.
Payout Was Increased by S$200
The Cost-of-Living Special Payment was announced at Budget 2026 with payouts originally ranging from S$200 to S$400.
On 7 April, the Government announced an additional S$200 for every eligible recipient amid uncertainty over rising costs linked to the Middle East situation.
That raised the final payment range to S$400 to S$600.
