The pandemic has turned the world upside down and its economic impact is felt worldwide, including in Singapore. To help those who were financially impacted by COVID-19, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) launched COVID-19 Recovery Grant (CRG). It was first launched in January 2021 and in December 2021, MSF announced an extension of the grant.
The COVID-19 Recovery Grant offers temporary financial support to self-employed or workers in lower- to middle-income households who are experiencing significant income loss due to the Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) period. Applications are open until 21 December 2022.
Benefits or Assistance Provided
You can receive up to S$700 per month for 3 months if at the point of application you are:
- Unemployed due to retrenchment or involuntary contract termination; or
- Placed on involuntary no-pay leave (NLP) for at least 3 consecutive months.
You can receive up to S$500 per month for 3 months if you are:
- Experiencing income loss for at least 3 consecutive months with an overall loss of at least 50% at the points of application; and
- Self-employed individuals who are experiencing an average loss of 50% of their net trade income (NTI) at the point of application compared to their average monthly NTI in 2021 and 2022.
Each individual can receive up to a total of three tranches of CRG within the periods 2021 and 2022.
Who Are Eligible?
1. Singaporeans or permanent residents aged 21 years and above.
2. Applicants must be living in a property with an Annual Value (AV) below S$21,000.
3. Applicants should not own more than one residential property
4. The monthly household income must not exceed S$7,800 or S$2,600 per capita prior to job or income loss or involuntary no-pay leave.
5. The employee should have worked for at least a total of 6 months between January 2020 and December 2021.
6. Self-employed individuals should have declared annual net trade income (NTI) in either 2020 or 2021. They must also provide supporting documents in their line of work.
7. Not receiving support from any of the following government schemes:
- Seafarers Relief Package
- COVID-19 Driver Relief Fund
- SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways Programme – Company Training
- SGUnited Skills Programme
How to Apply?
Applications are open 24/7 until 31 December 2022, including weekends and public holidays. You can apply via:
- Online at SupportGoWhere
- Nearest Social Service Office
If you need help filling out your online application form, contact the ComCare Call hotline (1800-222-0000) or email ask_sso@msf.gov.sg for assistance.
You will receive an SMS regarding the outcome of your application in about two weeks upon submission of all required documents.
Supporting Documents Required
Applicants must submit all of the following documents:
- Documents on bank account details for fund disbursement
- Relevant documents indicating your active participation in job search or training. The documents must at least include the following details:
- Your name
- Date of application
- Name of the company or employer that you applied or interviewed at, or the training provider and course title of the training opportunities attended.
For Employees
Relevant documents indicating involuntary loss of job, placement on involuntary no-pay leave (MPL), or income loss, including:
- A letter of retrenchment or termination of the contract; or
- A letter from the employer stating placement on involuntary NPL for at least three consecutive months; or
- A letter from the employer indicating an average monthly salary loss of at least 50% for three consecutive months; or
- Payslip(s) or CPF contribution statement(s) showing the last drawn monthly salary before and after the job loss, placement on involuntary NPL, or salary loss.
For Self-Employed Persons (SEP)
Relevant documents that prove you are working as an SEP, such as:
- Contracts of service
- Income statements
- Tax invoices billed to service buyers
- Receipts issued for services
- List of client engagements.
Additionally, self-employed individuals must submit relevant supporting evidence of at least two attempts to reach out to clients or businesses in the two months before application.
You can find the complete list of required documents here.
Where to Find Help?
If you need help with your online application, you can contact the ComCare Call hotline: 1800 222 0000.
For employment-related support, you may contact NTUC’s e2i 6474 0606 or WSG 6883 5885 to make an e-appointment at any of their career centers island wide. You may also visit the following websites:
Lastly, you can also visit your nearest Social Service Office for assistance. Business owner? Check out our business recovery insights to get your business restarted post COVID-19.
FAQs
1. Are There Any Key Changes to the COVID-19 Recovery Grant (CRG) Since Its Launch in 2021?
Overall Level of Support
Eligible individuals can receive up to three tranches of CRG assistance between 2021 and 2022. Before, the cap is at two tranches in 2021.
With each tranche of CRG, recipients are provided with three months of assistance. CRG-T tranches received in 2021 are not included in this count of the total number of tranches of CRG received.
Additional Employment Assistance
Recipients of third-time CRG will be contacted by e2i and offered assistance for their job search efforts.
Changes in Eligibility Criteria
- Under the economic activity criterion, employees must have worked for at least a total of six months between January 2020 and December 2021 (instead of January 2019 and December 2020).
- Self-employed individuals must have declared their annual net trade income (NTI) in 2020 or 2021 instead of 2019.
- Under the income loss criterion, self-employed individuals’ NTI will be compared to their average monthly NTI in 2020 or 2021 instead of 2019.
All these changes took effect last 1 January 2022.
2. What Is the Maximum Number of Tranches of CRG Assistance Allowed?
From 1 January 2022, all eligible applicants can receive a maximum of three tranches of CRG over 2021 and 2022. A successful applicant can receive up to three months of assistance per tranche.
Note: Assistance received under the 2021 COVID-19 Recovery Grant – Temporary does not count towards the three-tranche limit.
What if I didn’t receive CRG in 2021?
You can receive up to three tranches of CRG in 2022 as long as you meet all eligibility criteria at the point of each application.
What if I received one or two tranches in 2021?
If you received one tranche in 2021, you can still receive up to two tranches of CRG in 2022 and if you already received two tranches, you may still receive one more tranche.
3. When Will I Receive My COVID-19 Recovery Grant (CRG)?
The payout in the first month is typically released seven calendar days from the day the application is approved.
Closing
The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered an economic fallout that affected many workers around the world. Thankfully, the Singapore Government launched support schemes, such as the COVID-19 Recovery Grant to provide financial support to those affected individuals. Although the economic outlook is improving, some lower- to middle-income workers continue to be affected.
Key Takeaways
- The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) launched COVID-19 Recovery Grant (CRG) in January 2021.
- Applications for CRG assistance are open until 21 December 2022.
- Workers or self-employed can receive up to S$700/month for 3 months or up to S$500/month for 3 months depending on your circumstances.
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