Families caring for persons with disabilities could pay less for disability services under the first set of recommendations from an inter-agency task force.
The proposals include introducing fee caps across disability services, increasing means-tested subsidies for most families and allowing more middle-income households to qualify for financial support.
The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) said on Thursday, 17 September, that the affordability changes are expected to be implemented by 2028. Around 5,000 persons with disabilities using community and residential services are expected to benefit by 2030.
Subsidy Income Ceiling Could Rise to About S$6,000 Per Person
One major proposal is to raise the monthly per capita household income ceiling for means-tested subsidies from S$4,800 to about S$6,000.
Per capita household income refers to the household’s total monthly income divided by the number of people in the household.
MSF said the higher ceiling would make around 80% of households with persons with disabilities eligible for subsidies, bringing some middle-income families that currently fall outside the scheme into the system.
For most families, means-tested subsidy rates would also increase by at least 10 percentage points.
The enhanced subsidies would cover services and schemes including day activity centres, the Enabling Skills for Life Programme, adult disability hostels and homes, children disability homes, the Enabling Transport Subsidy and the Taxi Subsidy Scheme.
Lower-income households would continue receiving the most support. Under the proposals, they would pay no more than S$10 a month for community-based services such as day activity centres and the Enabling Skills for Life Programme, compared with current fees of between S$20 and S$60.
Some Families With Higher Support Needs Could See Much Lower Fees
The task force also wants additional support for people with higher support needs, as they may require more intensive and long-term care.
For selected services, families in this group could see their monthly fees after government subsidies fall by about 25% to 80%.
For example, a four-person household earning S$6,000 a month and caring for someone with higher support needs currently pays about S$210 a month for a day activity centre. Under the proposed changes, this would fall to S$40.
For an adult disability home, the same family’s monthly fee could fall from S$3,500 to S$700.
A four-person household earning S$13,000 a month could see day activity centre fees fall from S$710 to S$400, while adult disability home fees could drop from S$7,000 to S$1,600.
1,300 More Day Activity Centre and Sheltered Workshop Places Proposed
Lower fees would not help much if families cannot get a place, so the task force is also proposing more service capacity.
Another 1,300 spaces at day activity centres and sheltered workshops could be added by 2030, on top of 1,000 additional places that had already been announced in 2024.
That would mean 2,300 additional places by 2030, above the current capacity of around 3,600. Nearly 440 new spaces have been set up in 2026, with another 440 expected to become operational in 2027.
More Recommendations Coming by Early October
The Taskforce on Assurance for Families with Persons with Disabilities was announced by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in December 2025.
Its work covers three main areas: employment, community living and affordability. It was set up to look at support for persons with disabilities and their families across different stages of life.
The measures announced on 17 September are only its first set of recommendations.
The full set is expected to be announced by early October.
