Covid-19 Recovery Grant Offers Temporary Financial Support For Lower & Middle-Income Workers
The Covid-19 pandemic has hit our economy hard, and even as the outbreak shows signs of abating, many individuals continue to struggle with job and income losses.
On Wednesday (16 Dec), the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) announced that it will be rolling out a new scheme for those in need of additional assistance.
Named the Covid-19 Recovery Grant (CRG) the scheme is aimed at helping Singaporeans who continue to suffer “significant job or income losses”.
Provides financial support up to $700/ month
According to MSF, the CRG provides temporary financial support to workers from lower- and middle-income households who have suffered significant income losses.
This includes involuntary job loss or no-pay leave due to Covid-19.
Under the scheme, applicants may receive up to $700 per month for a period of 3 months.
These are the 2 groups of individuals who are eligible to receive the upper limit of up to $700 each month:
- Those unemployed due to retrenchment or contract termination
- Those placed on involuntary no-pay leave for at least 3 consecutive months
The recovery grant also provides $500 per month for:
- Workers who face at least 50% salary loss for at least 3 consecutive months
- Self-employed people who experience an average loss in net trade income (NTI) of at least 50% for 3 consecutive months, compared with their average monthly NTI in 2019 or 2020
These job and income losses would have to have occurred after 23 Jan 2020, when the first case of Covid-19 was detected on our shores.
The losses would also have to be “present” at the point of application.
Applicants have to proof that they have been searching for jobs
Singaporeans and Permanent Residents (PR) aged 21 and above are eligible for the scheme.
Applicants must have had a household income of $7,800 or less. Those who hold a per capita household income of not more than $2,600 – meaning each person in the household earns an average of less than $2,600 – can also qualify.
MSF’s statement also states that applicants should have been “economically active” before the pandemic.
This means applicants should have worked for at least 6 months between Jan 2019 and Dec 2020. Those who are self-employed should have declared their NTI in 2019 or 2020.
Additionally, applicants would have to prove that they have been putting in effort to search for job or undergo training.
Covid-19 Recovery Grant application opens on 18 Jan 2021
CRG is a separate grant from the existing Covid-19 Support Grant (CSG) as well as the Self-Employed Person Income Relief Scheme (SIRS).
According to The Straits Times (ST), applications for CSG closes on 31 Dec while SIRS would have lapsed by then.
Applications for the new CRG opens from 18 Jan 2021 all the way till 31 Dec 2021.
Those who wish to apply can do so on MSF’s website from 9am-10pm daily.
They can also apply in person at their nearest Social Service Office.
Find out more about the grant on MSF website
Kudos to MSF for providing these grants that offer assistance to Singaporeans struggling during these difficult times.
If you know of family and friends who have been heavily impacted by the pandemic, do let them know about the new CRG.
To find out more about the grant, visit MSF’s website here.
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Featured image adapted from Facebook.
