Introduction to the Home Caregiving Grant
The Home Caregiving Grant (HCG) has been enhanced on 1 March 2023, increasing the HCG payouts from the existing $200 per month to up to $400 per month.
This is to recognise caregivers’ contributions and further reduce caregiving costs. with more help provided to the lower-income.
Please refer to the table below for more information.
| Household Monthly Income per person | Current HCG monthly payout | Enhanced HCG monthly payout (From 1 March 2023) |
|---|---|---|
| $0 – $1,500 (or Annual Value of Residence* ≤ $21,000 for households without income) |
$200 | $400^ |
| $1,501 – $3,600 | $250 |
^ If you own multiple properties, you will receive the lower tier of $250 per month.
* The Annual Value of your Residence in 2023 will be used to determine your eligibility for social support schemes such as HCG in 2024.
Please refer to the press release by the Ministry of Finance on this matter.
How to Qualify
To be eligible for HCG, the care recipient must meet the following criteria:
Nationality
- Must be a Singapore Citizen; or
- Permanent Resident (with a parent, child or spouse who is a Singapore Citizen)
Lives in Singapore
Means Tested
- Household monthly income per person is $3,600 or less; or
- Annual value of property for household without income is $21,000 or less
- Those with multiple properties will receive the lower HCG payout of $250 per month
Not in a residential long-term care institution (e.g. nursing home)
Requires Assistance with Activities of Daily Living
Permanently requires some assistance with at least three of the six Activities of Daily Living. These six activities are:
How to Apply
Undergo disability assessment
Visit a General Practitioner (GP) or arrange with your care provider to obtain a Functional Assessment Report (FAR) *. The cost of an assessment may vary. Please contact your preferred assessor for more information.
A mental capacity certification (to be certified by doctors) is required when applying on behalf of a patient who lacks mental capacity.
- If the care recipient is undergoing a disability assessment, you should explicitly request for a mental capacity assessment, if required, to be also conducted by the doctor for the care recipient at the same time.
- When making the appointment, you should check in with the doctor if he/she can also perform the mental capacity assessment to obtain the certification, if required, for the purpose of applying for AIC schemes.
Note: If you are also applying for severe disability schemes such as IDAPE/ElderFund, CareShield Life and MediSave Care, you do not need to obtain the FAR. Instead, contact an MOH-accredited severe disability assessor to undergo a disability assessment.
Login to AIC’s eService portal (eFASS) with your Singpass.
We strongly encourage you to apply online as there is a shorter waiting time for application approval. If you are unable to submit your application using eFASS, please email us at apply@aic.sg or walk in to any of our AIC links to request for a hardcopy application form.
If you are applying on behalf of someone who lacks mental capacity, please read the Additional Guidance.
Please ensure that you have read the Terms and Conditions before submitting your application.
Video Guide on eFASS Application Portal
Note:
If you need to update your household information or if you have previously disallowed the access of your Financial Information for eligibility checks, please visit the MediShield Life Household Check e-Service.
After the application is submitted
We may take up to four weeks to process your application and will inform you of the outcome in writing by mail. If your application is successful, payouts will be made to your nominated bank account in the following month, which may include payouts from the month the application was submitted. The payouts will be reflected as “HCG” in your bank statement.
Please contact us at 1800-650-6060 if you require any assistance.
For Existing Scheme Recipients
- If you would like to change the care recipient’s scheme details, please login with your Singpass on the eFASS. Go to “Manage My Schemes” > “Change in Scheme Details”. Please note these additional points as well:
- If you are changing the care recipient’s scheme details on behalf of a care recipient who lacks mental capacity, you will need to submit a Mental Incapacity Certification if you have not done so before. The form can be downloaded here and needs to be filled in by a doctor.
-
If the care recipient is undergoing a disability assessment, you should explicitly request for a mental capacity assessment, if required, to be also conducted by the doctor for the care recipient at the same time.
-
When making the appointment, you should check in with the doctor if he/she can also perform the mental capacity assessment, if required, for the purpose of applying for AIC schemes.
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- If you wish to opt-out from receiving HCG payouts, please login with your Singpass on the eFASS. Go to “Manage My Schemes” > “Change in Scheme Details”
- If you are unable to update scheme details or opt out of scheme using the eFASS, please email us at apply@aic.sg, or walk in to any of our AIC Links to request for a hardcopy application form. We seek your understanding that hardcopy applications have a longer processing time.
*Autism Spectrum Disorder or Intellectual Disability
The care recipients with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Intellectual Disability (ID) can choose to have their level of support needs for ADL determined via the CAF (download the Form here).
Care recipients who are currently attending a Special Education School or disability care services such as Day Activity Centres can have the assessment done onsite (please check with your school or service provider if it provides such assessment service).
If the school or service provider does not provide CAF assessment or if the care recipients with ID or ASD do not receive disability services from the community, you may approach the Therapy Hubs (click here for the list) for CAF assessment. Please click here for more information on CAF assessment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have questions about Home Caregiving Grant? We may have the answer here.
Additional guidance for care recipient without mental capacity
Additional guidance for care recipient who lacks mental capacity to provide consent
1. The care recipient’s donee/deputy# may provide consent on the care recipient’s behalf. If the care recipient does not have such a donee/deputy, the caregiver* may make the application on care recipient’s behalf.
# Donee/deputy must be appointed in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act (Cap 177) and is authorised to make decisions on behalf of the care recipient in relation to the care recipient’s property and affairs.
* For successful applications without a donee/deputy, the caregiver or another family member has 12 months to obtain a court order appointing him/her as a deputy, failing which the payouts will be suspended. For more information on how to apply for a deputyship, please visit Family Justice Courts website.
2. If a mental capacity assessment is required when applying on behalf of a patient who lacks mental capacity:
A mental capacity certification (to be certified by doctors) is required when applying on behalf of a patient who lacks mental capacity.
- If the care recipient is undergoing a disability assessment, you should explicitly request for a mental capacity assessment, if required, to be also conducted by the doctor for the care recipient at the same time.
- When making the appointment, you should check in with the doctor if he/she can also perform the mental capacity assessment to obtain the certification, if required, for the purpose of applying for AIC schemes.
Doctor’s certification for mental incapacity is only valid for six months, unless stated permanent.
3. Please submit the following additional supporting documents:
- Doctor’s certification that the care recipient lacks mental capacity OR court order of deputy appointment OR recent medical report stating that the care recipient lacks mental capacity; and
- Copy of bank book or statement IF you are nominating an account belonging to a deputy or trustee of the care recipient.
Additional guidance for care recipient below age 21
The care recipient’s parent or legal guardian^ may make this application on behalf of the care recipient.
^ Legal guardian refers to a person who has been lawfully appointed in accordance with the Guardianship of Infants Act (Cap. 122).
Why do I need the NRIC issue date? How do I find the NRIC issue date?
AIC requires the input of the NRIC issue date for verification purposes.
How do I ensure that my Functional Assessment Report (FAR) is completed?
How do I change my HCG nominated bank account?
You can login with your SingPass on eFASS and navigate to “Manage My Schemes” > “Change in Scheme Details”.
If you are changing the nominated bank account on behalf of a care recipient who lacks mental capacity, you will need to submit a Mental Incapacity Certification if you have not done so before. Please refer to Additional Guidance for more information.
Do keep a copy of the application documents for your own reference.
