SINGAPORE – Some 1.2 million Singaporean households will receive a total of $340 million in utilities support.

The one-off $100 subsidy, known as the Solidarity Utilities Credit, will be given to all households – for all types of residential properties – with at least one Singaporean member, said the Ministry of Finance (MOF) in a statement on Thursday (July 2).

As announced during the Fortitude Budget, it will be credited into their July or August utilities bill under the SP Group, “so as to thank them for doing their part in staying home for Singapore during the circuit breaker period”.

The credit will be given on top of the U-Save GST Vouchers, as well as the U-Save Special Payments that eligible households living in Housing Board flats will be able to enjoy.

About 940,000 Singaporean households living in HDB flats will receive double their regular U-Save vouchers this financial year, through a one-off U-Save Special Payment.

Eligible households with five or more members will receive an additional U-Save rebate.

This will come up to a total of 2½ times their regular U-Save GST Voucher in the financial year of 2020, from April this year to March next year.

This month, households will enjoy a U-Save (Utilities-Save) rebate of up to $300, depending on their HDB flat type, added the MOF.

Those living in one- and two-room flats will get $300, and those in three-room flats will get $270.

Families living in four-room flats will receive $240, while those in five-room flats will get $210. Residents of executive or multi-generation flats will get $180.

Households whose members own more than one property are not eligible for the GST Voucher.

Annually, households in one- and two-room flats receive U-Save rebates equivalent to about three to four months of their utility bills on average.

For FY2020, these households will receive U-Save rebates equivalent to at least six to eight months of their utility bills on average, said the MOF statement.

Those living in three- and four-room flats who usually receive support equivalent to about one to two months of their utility bills will receive support equivalent to at least two to four months of their bills.

The U-Save rebate is one of three components under the permanent GST Voucher scheme introduced in 2012. It is disbursed every three months.

The rebates, which are expected to cost the Government about $630 million, are meant to help HDB households offset part of their utility bills and reduce their overall household expenses.

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