Singapore has announced a new support package that could provide each child with nearly S$70,000 (about US$55,160) in government assistance from birth through the teenage years, as the country intensifies efforts to address its declining birth rate.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced the measures during the National Day Rally, outlining plans to strengthen family support, expand the use of technology and invest in long-term infrastructure.
Under the new SG Child Support Package, each child will receive up to S$62,000 in support from birth to age 17, although the money will be distributed over time rather than paid as a lump sum.
The cash component will amount to S$42,000, including a S$10,000 cash gift paid in two installments during the child’s first year and S$2,000 in annual child credits from ages one to 16.
The package will also include a S$5,000 Child Development Account grant, up to another S$5,000 in government matching contributions and a S$10,000 top-up to the child’s post-secondary education account at age 17.
Existing benefits, including a S$5,000 MediSave grant for newborns and around S$2,500 in education contributions, will also be counted as part of the broader package, bringing the total value to nearly S$70,000.
Transitional payments are expected to begin in 2027. From 2028, the government will also reduce monthly fees at government-supported childcare centres, with full-day childcare fees targeted at S$150 per month and infant-care fees at S$300 by 2030. Current fees are around S$600 for full-day childcare and more than S$1,000 for infant care.
The measures come as Singapore’s fertility rate continues to fall. The country’s resident fertility rate dropped to 0.87 children per woman in 2025, from 0.97 in 2024. Nearly 30,000 births were recorded in 2025, an 11.4% decline from the previous year, while births among citizens fell 10.8% to just over 26,000.
Singapore allocated about S$7 billion for marriage and parenthood measures in its 2026 fiscal year. The city-state has a population of approximately 6.11 million, comprising citizens, permanent residents and non-residents.
