Home Caregiving Grant Singapore: Monthly Cash Support for Families Caring for a Loved One
The Home Caregiving Grant (HCG) is a monthly cash payout from the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) that helps Singaporean families cover the cost of caring for a loved one with moderate-to-severe disability who needs help with daily activities, with the payout amount means-tested by household per capita monthly income.
Not financial advice. All figures for educational reference only. Data as at November 2026.
Last updated: November 2026
Key Takeaways
- The Home Caregiving Grant currently provides either S$400 or S$600 a month, depending on the care recipient’s household per capita income, and is on top of any other disability-related support schemes.
- Eligibility requires the care recipient to be assessed by AIC as needing permanent assistance with at least one activity of daily living, such as feeding, bathing, or mobility.
- HCG is not restricted to seniors — it can support caregiving for any Singaporean of any age who meets the disability assessment criteria.
- Families can combine HCG with other AIC-administered schemes, such as the Caregivers Training Grant, which reimburses up to S$400 a year for approved caregiving courses.
- Applications are made through AIC, often alongside or following an application for other government disability or long-term care support schemes.
What Is Home Caregiving Grant (HCG)?
Caring for a family member with significant mobility or self-care limitations is both an emotional and financial undertaking, and the Home Caregiving Grant exists specifically to ease the financial side of that burden for Singaporean households. Administered by the Agency for Integrated Care, HCG provides a monthly cash payout directly to support the cost of caregiving — whether that means hiring part-time help, paying for caregiving-related transport and supplies, or simply offsetting the lost income of a family member who has reduced working hours to provide care.
Unlike schemes aimed solely at seniors, HCG is available for Singaporean care recipients of any age who have been formally assessed as needing permanent assistance with activities of daily living — functions such as feeding, bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring (moving in and out of bed or a chair), or walking. This assessment is typically carried out as part of the broader long-term care ecosystem that AIC coordinates across hospitals, polyclinics, and community care providers in Singapore.
HCG is means-tested, with the payout amount tied to the household’s per capita monthly income — essentially total household income divided by the number of household members. This design means the grant is calibrated to provide proportionally more support to lower- and middle-income families, who are likely to feel the financial strain of caregiving more acutely than higher-income households with more resources to absorb the cost of professional caregiving support.
How Does Home Caregiving Grant (HCG) Work in Singapore?
To access HCG, a family typically first needs the care recipient to undergo a functional disability assessment, which evaluates how many activities of daily living the person needs help with and how severely. This assessment can be initiated through a hospital medical social worker, a polyclinic, or directly with AIC, and is a prerequisite for HCG as well as several other long-term care schemes in Singapore’s support ecosystem, including interim or permanent disability assistance under other MOH-administered programmes.
Once eligibility is confirmed, AIC determines the household’s per capita monthly income by taking total gross household income and dividing it by the number of people living in the household. Households below a lower income threshold typically qualify for the higher S$600 monthly payout, while households above that threshold but still within the scheme’s eligibility band qualify for the S$400 monthly payout. The grant is disbursed directly, usually via bank transfer, and does not require the family to submit receipts or prove specific caregiving expenditure — it is a cash grant, not a reimbursement scheme.
HCG sits alongside, rather than replaces, other caregiving-related support in Singapore. Families can simultaneously tap the Caregivers Training Grant, which offsets up to S$400 a year in approved caregiving training courses, and can access respite care subsidies and other AIC-coordinated community care services, making HCG one component of a broader package rather than the sole source of financial support for caregiving households.
Home Caregiving Grant (HCG) Example
A Singaporean family of four has a combined household income of S$4,800 a month, giving a per capita monthly income of S$1,200. The elderly mother living with them has been assessed by AIC as needing permanent assistance with three activities of daily living after a stroke, including mobility and feeding.
Based on the household’s per capita income falling within the scheme’s lower-income band, the family qualifies for the higher S$600 monthly Home Caregiving Grant. Over a year, this provides S$7,200 in direct cash support, which the family uses to partially offset the cost of a part-time domestic helper and medical transport to regular physiotherapy appointments, without needing to submit receipts to AIC to justify the spending.
Advantages of Home Caregiving Grant (HCG)
- Direct cash, no receipts required. Unlike reimbursement-based schemes, HCG is paid as cash directly to the family, giving flexibility in how it is used to support caregiving.
- Available regardless of care recipient’s age. HCG supports caregiving for Singaporeans of any age with qualifying disability needs, not just the elderly.
- Stacks with other caregiving support schemes. Families can combine HCG with the Caregivers Training Grant and other AIC-coordinated community care subsidies for a more complete support package.
- Means-tested to target support where it is most needed. The income-tiered payout structure channels more support toward lower- and middle-income caregiving households.
- No restriction on how the cash is spent. Families can direct the grant toward whatever form of caregiving support matters most to them, whether that is hired help, medical transport, assistive equipment, or simply offsetting reduced working hours.
- Complements Singapore’s broader long-term care financing system. HCG sits alongside CareShield Life payouts and ElderShield transition benefits for those who need them, forming part of a layered safety net for long-term care costs.
Risks and Limitations
- Payout may not fully cover actual caregiving costs. S$400 to S$600 a month can offset but rarely fully covers the cost of a full-time domestic helper or professional home care in Singapore.
- Requires a formal disability assessment. Families must go through an assessment process before becoming eligible, which takes time and may require supporting medical documentation.
- Income means-testing can exclude some families. Households above the per capita income threshold may not qualify at all, even if they face genuine caregiving financial strain.
- Scheme parameters can change over time. Payout amounts and income thresholds are periodically reviewed by AIC and the government, so families should verify current figures rather than relying on older information.
- Caregiving burden extends beyond what cash alone can solve. Even with HCG, families often still need to coordinate medical appointments, respite arrangements, and emotional support, none of which a monthly payout directly provides.
Home Caregiving Grant vs Caregivers Training Grant
| Feature | Home Caregiving Grant (HCG) | Caregivers Training Grant |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of support | Monthly cash payout | Reimbursement for training courses |
| Amount | S$400 or S$600 a month | Up to S$400 a year |
| Means-tested | Yes, by household per capita income | No income means-testing |
| Purpose | General caregiving cost support | Upskilling family caregivers |
| Administered by | Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) | Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) |
Source: Agency for Integrated Care (AIC), Singapore, 2026.
The Bottom Line
The Home Caregiving Grant is a meaningful, if partial, source of financial relief for Singaporean families shouldering the real cost of caring for a loved one with significant daily living needs. While it will rarely cover the full cost of professional caregiving support on its own, it is a cash grant worth applying for whenever a family member has a qualifying disability assessment, and it pairs naturally with other AIC-coordinated schemes to build a more complete caregiving financial support package.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible for the Home Caregiving Grant in Singapore?
Eligibility requires the care recipient to be a Singaporean assessed by AIC as needing permanent assistance with at least one activity of daily living, such as feeding, bathing, or mobility, combined with the household meeting the scheme’s per capita income criteria.
How much does the Home Caregiving Grant pay out?
The Home Caregiving Grant pays either S$400 or S$600 a month, depending on the care recipient’s household per capita monthly income, with lower-income households generally qualifying for the higher payout tier.
Is the Home Caregiving Grant only for elderly care recipients?
No. The Home Caregiving Grant is available for Singaporean care recipients of any age who meet the disability assessment criteria, not just seniors.
Do I need to submit receipts to use the Home Caregiving Grant?
No. HCG is paid as a direct cash grant without requiring families to submit receipts or prove specific caregiving expenditure, unlike reimbursement-based schemes.
Can I receive the Home Caregiving Grant together with other caregiving support schemes?
Yes. HCG can be combined with other AIC-administered support, such as the Caregivers Training Grant and respite care subsidies, as part of a broader caregiving support package.
How does AIC determine household per capita income for the Home Caregiving Grant?
AIC calculates per capita income by taking the household’s total gross monthly income and dividing it by the number of people living in that household, then comparing the result against the scheme’s defined income bands to determine whether the family qualifies for the S$400 or S$600 monthly payout.
