<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>Two years a long time to wait for additional CPF housing grant
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I REFER to the Budget news about increasing the additional Central Provident Fund (CPF) housing grant income ceiling from $4,000 to $5,000.
From what I know, one needs to have worked for two consecutive years before one qualifies for this grant as HDB considers it a form of welfare benefit. The main goal of Workfare benefits like the grant is to get unemployed people into paid work, and ensuring that lower-income people work first before they get married.
However, two years is a long time. Some of us may not be able to make it for two years, so we may have to delay our wedding until we can make the timeline.
In addition, as the grant is tiered - those in the $2,000 to $3,000 income bracket get a higher grant than those in the $3,000 to $4,000 income bracket - some applicants may cheat to get a higher grant.
Also, some may get higher bonuses than others, which may skew the results even if their basic salary is lower.
It might be better to fix the grant at a certain level, regardless of income bracket. Leong Hsin Yih (Ms)
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I REFER to the Budget news about increasing the additional Central Provident Fund (CPF) housing grant income ceiling from $4,000 to $5,000.
From what I know, one needs to have worked for two consecutive years before one qualifies for this grant as HDB considers it a form of welfare benefit. The main goal of Workfare benefits like the grant is to get unemployed people into paid work, and ensuring that lower-income people work first before they get married.
However, two years is a long time. Some of us may not be able to make it for two years, so we may have to delay our wedding until we can make the timeline.
In addition, as the grant is tiered - those in the $2,000 to $3,000 income bracket get a higher grant than those in the $3,000 to $4,000 income bracket - some applicants may cheat to get a higher grant.
Also, some may get higher bonuses than others, which may skew the results even if their basic salary is lower.
It might be better to fix the grant at a certain level, regardless of income bracket. Leong Hsin Yih (Ms)
