Singaporeans to receive letters next month on benefits from Budget 2013 ...zzzzZZZZZ

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Singaporeans to receive letters next month on benefits from Budget 2013

POSTED: 28 Jun 2013 1:17 PM



Pedestrians walk down a street in the downtown financial district in Singapore. (AFP/Roslan Rahman)

SINGAPORE: Two million adult Singaporeans will receive letters from the government in the first week of July, informing them of the benefits they and their households will receive as part of Budget 2013.

The benefits include: GST Voucher (GSTV), GSTV Special Payment, and a top-up of S$200 to the CPF Medisave Accounts of all Singaporeans aged 45 and above.

GSTV comprises GSTV-Cash, GSTV-Medisave and GSTV-U-Save while GSTV Special Payment is a one-off extra payment of GSTV.

The letters will also contain information on other benefits from Budget 2013, such as the enhanced Workfare and Personal Income Tax Rebates.

In a statement, the Finance Ministry (MOF) said these benefits will provide direct assistance to Singaporeans and their households to help them cope with increases in the cost of living.

The GSTV Cash, Medisave and U-Save payout, together with the GSTV Special Payment, will cost the government about $1.2 billion.

MOF said the 1.4 million Singaporeans eligible for GSTV-Cash will receive it in their bank accounts or via cheque.

As for GSTV-Medisave, some 370,000 elderly Singaporeans aged 65 and above will have it topped up to their CPF Medisave Accounts.

However, a small number of eligible Singaporeans who have not signed up for a previous Government payout (such as the GSTV last year or the 2011 Growth Dividend) will need to do so in the next two weeks to receive the payout by August 1.

They can sign up online by July 16 or in hard copy form by July 12 to receive the payout in August.

The hard copy form can be obtained at any Community Centre, Community Development Council or CPF Service Centre.

Those who sign up after these dates will get their payouts after August 1.

Singaporeans have until December 31, 2013 to sign up to receive the benefits.

As for benefits to households, some 800,000 HDB households will receive payout in regular GST Voucher-U-Save-and Special Payment this July.

An eligible Singaporean household can receive between S$135 to S$195 worth of GSTV-U-Save rebates in total, depending on HDB flat type.

MOF also said to provide more frequent and timely help to households, permanent GSTV-U-Save will now be given quarterly (July, October, January and April) instead of half-yearly.

The extra GSTV-U-Save under the one-off GSTV Special Payment will be given out in July 2013 and January 2014.

These rebates will offset utilities directly, and there's no need to sign up for them.

Public can visit www.gstvoucher.gov.sg to find more information on GSTV.

- CNA/fa




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