PM Wong launches latest CDC voucher tranche, vows continued support for cost-of-living challenges

Singaporean households can now claim S$500 in Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers, announced Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on 13 May 2025 at Nee Soon South Community Club. He emphasised that the vouchers are not a one-time solution, but part of ongoing Government efforts to support residents with the rising cost of living. “I assure all of you that this is not a one-off exercise, and the Government will provide the help for as long as it is needed,” said Wong. Wong acknowledged public concern about the sustainability of such schemes and reaffirmed that Singapore’s fiscal strategy is sound. The decision to raise taxes earlier this decade, although difficult, placed the country in a strong financial position to support such assistance. He said the current tranche is just one part of a broader framework of support that will continue evolving through the Forward Singapore initiative. The S$500 in CDC vouchers is equally split between spending at heartland merchants and hawkers (S$250) and participating supermarkets (S$250). Supermarket chains in the scheme include NTUC FairPrice, Sheng Siong, Giant Singapore, Cold Storage, Prime Supermarket, Ang Mo Supermarket, U Stars Supermarket, and HAO Mart. Households can claim their vouchers via go.gov.sg/cdcv using Singpass. A unique voucher link will be sent via SMS to the registered mobile number and can be shared among household members. No printed notification letters will be issued for this round. Instead, information will be distributed through online platforms, newspapers, and community posters.

Support for the digitally less-savvy

For residents unfamiliar with digital tools, assistance will be available at community centres and SG Digital Community Hubs. Between 13 and 26 May, more than 200 youth volunteers and digital ambassadors will support residents in claiming vouchers. There will also be priority queues for seniors and persons with disabilities. Additional help will be offered for those without smartphones or those needing Singpass account assistance. Low Yen Ling, Mayor of the South West District, noted that residents who still require physical vouchers can print them at community centres. “Even as we roll out more rounds, we will not stop looking at how we can continue to improve the process... and evolve towards an environmentally sustainable approach,” she added.

Voucher validity and upcoming distributions

This round of CDC vouchers is valid until 31 December 2025. In January 2026, each household will receive an additional S$300, bringing the total CDC voucher allocation for the financial year to S$800. In addition to the vouchers, Singaporeans will receive SG60 Vouchers in July 2025. All adult Singaporeans will get S$600, while seniors aged 60 and above will receive an additional S$200. The SG60 vouchers will be accepted at all businesses that already accept CDC vouchers. Wong highlighted additional support measures announced during the 2025 Budget. Parents with children aged 12 and below will receive LifeSG credits. Those aged 13 to 20 will see top-ups to their Edusave or Post-Secondary Education Accounts. Households will also receive U-Save rebates. These combined measures mean a typical family of four with two young children could receive approximately S$5,000 in financial support this year. “We will continue to review and strengthen our social support system across housing, healthcare, education, and retirement,” said Wong. According to the People’s Association (PA) and the CDC, about 97.3 per cent of households claimed the previous tranche of vouchers issued in January 2025. Of the claimed vouchers, more than S$324 million—equivalent to 83.4 per cent—has already been spent. Low reported that around 92 per cent of the vouchers were spent on food and groceries at supermarkets and heartland minimarts. “We look at these numbers to assess whether we are on track. The scheme was designed to ease household expenses and support our local merchants and hawkers,” she said. Since the CDC voucher scheme began in December 2021, more than S$1.92 billion has been spent. Of that, S$1.06 billion went to heartland merchants and hawkers, while over S$857 million was spent at supermarkets.