COVID-19 Recovery Grant application window extended till Dec 31, 2023

The COVID-19 Recovery Grant (CRG) application window will see an extension till Dec 31, 2023, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) announced on Friday (Dec 16).

There will also be a tightening of select eligibility criteria for applications submitted from Jan 1, 2023. 

CRG, introduced in Jan 18, 2021, provides financial assistance to lower to middle-income employees and self-employed persons (SEPs) who experience involuntary job loss, no-pay leave (NPL) or significant income loss for at least three consecutive months.

MSF explained the extension was done as there are individuals “whose financial and employment circumstances are still affected by the pandemic”. 

It cited how the economy is also affected by fears of recession in Europe and the United States, making it more difficult for those who are already having trouble coping financially.

Eligibility criteria will be tightened in the following areas: income eligibility, job search requirement and updated period for valid economic activity.  

Income eligibility criteria takes into account the required household income and per capita household income before the individual’s involuntary job loss, income loss and NPL. 

The revised criteria will see the required household income amounting to or less than $6,000 per month, a decrease from the previous $7,800 per month. 

The per capita household income requirement will also drop from $2,600 per month to $2,000 per month.

With previous job search requirements, applicants need only submit evidence of at least two job applications or interviews before applying for CRG. The new criteria will require applicants to submit three pieces of evidence. 

Changes for the updated period for valid economic activity are procedural, according to MSF. 

The updated period for valid economic activity requires applicants to submit proof of work for at least six months between Jan 1, 2020 and Dec 31, 2021, or declaration of annual Net Trade Income (NTI) in 2020 or 2021.

With the revised criteria, applicants will need to submit proof of work for at least six months between Jan 1, 2021 and Dec 31, 2022; or declaration of annual NTI in 2021 or 2022. 

To apply for the COVID-19 Recovery Grant, applicants must be 21 years old and above, and be a Singaporean or Permanent Resident.

The grant criteria also covers annual value of residential property, prior household income, economic activity, job or income loss and job search or training requirements.

Eligible individuals will still receive the same amount of financial support of $500 or $700 per month for three months depending on their respective eligibility and employment type.

Individuals will receive up to $700 per month for three months should they be unemployed due to: retrenchment, involuntary contract termination or placed on involuntary NPL for at least three consecutive months.

Applicants will receive up to $500 per month for three months if they face salary loss for at least three consecutive months, with an average overall loss of at least 50 per cent.

For SEPs, their overall average loss of 50 per cent is measured at the point of application, compared to their average monthly NTI in 2021 or 2022.

Those who wish to apply for the COVID-19 Recovery Grant or see eligibility criteria in full can do so on MSF’s website.