Singapore offers $55,000 in child support to boost birth rate

Singapore has committed to providing each child with government support worth S$70,000 (approximately $55,160) from birth through the teenage years, as the Asian nation strives to improve its low birth rate.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong revealed the plan on Sunday during the National Day Rally, where he discussed family support packages, technological advancement and infrastructure projects.

“Every Singaporean child will receive almost S$70,000 in direct financial support as they grow up,” Wong said.

“We will give families confidence and support every step of the way.
“We will harness the power of technology on our own terms. And we will keep building for the long term, with major plans for our outer islands,” the PM told the gathering.

According to the government’s breakdown, the new SG Child Support Package will provide up to S$62,000 to a child from birth through age 17, though it will not be paid as a lump sum.

It comprises a S$10,000 cash gift paid in two instalments during the first year, followed by S$2,000 in annual child credits from age one to 16. The total will be S$42,000 in cash.

Each child will also receive a S$5,000 grant in a Child Development Account, up to S$5,000 in matching government contributions, and a S$10,000 top-up to a post-secondary education account at age 17.

The current S$5,000 MediSave grant for babies and about S$2,500 in education contributions are included in the new S$70,000 package, which covers existing children. The transitional payments will start in 2027.

From 2028, monthly fees at government-backed centres will be reduced to S$150 for full-day childcare and S$300 for infant care by 2030. The current cost is about S$600 per month for full-day childcare and over S$1,000 for infant care.

Singapore’s resident fertility rate dropped to 0.87 children per woman in 2025, from 0.97 in 2024. The country recorded nearly 30,000 births in 2025, down 11.4% from 2024, with births to citizens falling 10.8% to just over 26,000.

Singapore, which budgeted S$7 billion for marriage and parenthood measures in fiscal year 2026, has a population of 6.11 million people—3.66 million citizens, 540,000 permanent residents and 1.91 million non-residents.