Everything About the COVID-19 Baby Support Grant for New Parents

It’s a trying period, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that people are postponing their parenthood plans.

In fact, according to a survey, 30% of married couples or people in a serious relationship in Singapore are delaying their marriage plans or parenthood plans.

Out of the people who decided not to have a child during this COVID-19 period, 76% said they would delay up to two years, and the main reasons are due to the uncertainties COVID-19 bring, be it health situation or employment prospects.

But if you’re one of these potential parents, fret not; Ah Gong is giving you an additional grant to “defray child-raising costs during these extraordinary times.”

And no, it’s not the usual Baby Bonus Scheme you’ve heard from your parents repeatedly.

Instead, it’s an add-on: the Baby Support Grant.

Kind of like a McDonald’s upsized meal.

Everything About the COVID-19 Baby Support Grant for New Parents

On Monday, no one had expected DPM Heng to talk about any ang baos since he has mentioned earlier that there won’t be any additional support for employers or employees.

But hey; he didn’t say that there won’t be any additional support for new parents.

During his ministerial statement, he said that the Government will introduce one-off additional support for newborns as there was feedback that young adults are postponing their parenthood plans.

He didn’t reveal the details, so married couples are still making sure that there’s a rubber between them.

Today, more details are revealed and the rubber might be off for some.

If you’ve a child that’s born between 1 Oct 2020 to 30 Sept 2022, you’ll get a one-time $3,000 Baby Support Grant.

And it’s cash, just like the Baby Bonus.

For example, if you give birth on 15 October 2020 and it’s your first child, you’ll get $8,000 cash (normal Baby Bonus) and an addition $3,000 cash (Baby Support Grant).

And if you’ve done your research, you’d know that the $8,000 isn’t given in one shot; they’ll be given progressively until the child turns 18 months old.

For the additional $3,000, it’ll be given from 1 April 2021 instead; and if you give birth after 1 April 2020, you’ll get the full $3,000 within a month after you enrolled into the usual Baby Bonus Scheme.

The eligibility criteria for Baby Support Grant are the same as the Baby Bonus Scheme.

Minister in the PMO Indranee Rajah said, “This pandemic has not been easy on Singaporeans who are planning to get married and start their families. The Government will spare no effort to help couples meet their marriage and parenthood aspirations.”

So, why $3,000? Why not $3 million?

Ms Indranee said that the amount was decided upon by looking at the suite of measures in its “totality”.

She added, “We looked at it and we said: ‘What can we do to add on, and provide some additional assistance that would be meaningful?

“And we felt that S$3000 would be a number that would be helpful … At the same time, you must also bear in mind that (the) Government has been giving out a lot of assistance for many other things like the Job Support Scheme, the COVID-19 support grant, many other things that we are doing as well; so we looked at it in its totality.”

As for the time frame, she said two years are “reasonable”.

You can read more about the grant here.