Parents get monetary boost with Jubilee marriage and parenthood package
Jubilee marriage and parenthood package announced
Parents will get more money for their children, with changes to the Marriage and Parenthood package.
This comes in the form of an enhancement to the Baby Bonus cash gift as well as an additional week of government-paid paternity leave.
Families with Singaporean babies born on or after Jan 1 this year are eligible for these measures.
Here are the changes that were announced yesterday:
BIGGER BABY BONUS
The Baby Bonus cash gift will be increased by $2,000 and will be given out between the first 12 and 18 months after a child's birth.
This is on top of the $6,000 that is given out in the first 12 months of a child's life (for the first two children) and $8,000 for subsequent children.
BONUS FOR ALL KIDS
The Bonus will also be available for all children, no matter their birth order. In the past, only the first four children in a family were given Baby Bonuses.
MORE MEDISAVE GRANT
The Medisave grant for newborns will also be raised by $1,000 to a total of $4,000, which will help pay for their MediShield Life premiums and other medical expenses.
GOVERNMENT-PAID PATERNITY LEAVE
Married fathers will get an additional week of paternity leave paid for by the Government.
This will kick in immediately for civil servants.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Grace Fu said the Government is in talks with other big companies to encourage them to give their employees the leave.
"With these enhancements, we hope Singaporeans will feel more assured and confident to start larger families, as the Government is firmly committed to provide support where we can," she added.
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