CDC vouchers are one of the simplest pieces of government support a Singaporean household receives, yet every new tranche brings the same questions to our office. Who in the family should claim? Does an elderly parent living alone get a separate set? Can the helper use them at the supermarket? This guide explains how the scheme works, how to claim with Singpass, where the vouchers can be spent, and how to help older parents use them safely.
Many of the households we place helpers with include an elderly parent, and grocery shopping is often one of the helper’s tasks. So who holds the voucher link, and who goes to the shop, is a real household question.
One point before we start. Amounts, claim dates and expiry dates change with each Budget and each tranche. We state only the figures we could verify on official government pages, with the year they apply to. Always check the official scheme website for the latest details before you rely on any number.
This is a household guide, not financial advice.
What the scheme is and how it works
The scheme is delivered through the Community Development Councils (CDCs). It gives every Singaporean household a sum of digital vouchers to help with daily expenses. The vouchers are spent at participating hawkers and heartland merchants, and at participating supermarkets. Because the spending is steered to neighbourhood shops and hawker stalls, it also brings business to the heartlands.
The support is given per household, not per person. One member claims for everyone at the same address, and the household shares a single voucher link.
What has been announced for 2026 and 2027
According to the government’s Budget 2026 measures page, each Singaporean household can claim $500 from June 2026 and an additional $300 from January 2027. Both are valid until 31 December 2027, and each tranche is split equally between heartland merchants and hawkers on one side and supermarkets on the other. For the June 2026 tranche, that means $250 for each.
An earlier tranche of $300, released in January 2026, is valid until 31 December 2026, so spend any unspent balance from it before then. Later tranches may be announced at Budget 2027, so confirm on the official site.
Who gets the vouchers
The government states that every Singaporean household will receive them, and the claim is verified through Singpass. A few situations come up often:
- Several generations under one roof. If your parents live with you at the same address, the household receives one set. Whoever claims first does so for everyone.
- Parents living in their own flat. A parent who lives at a different address is a separate household, with its own vouchers to claim.
- Two households at one address. If the site shows that someone from a different household at your address has already claimed, the residents’ FAQ says you can apply at a Community Centre or Club with your NRIC and proof of a separate household, such as a tenancy agreement. For the 2026 tranche, the deadline is 15 December 2026.
- Your helper. A migrant domestic worker is not a Singaporean household member for this scheme, and the vouchers are not hers to claim.
How to claim CDC vouchers at go.gov.sg/cdcv with Singpass
The claim takes a few minutes and needs no app. The official Get Started guide sets out the steps:
- On your phone, go to go.gov.sg/cdcv, the official claim link. Type it yourself rather than tapping a link someone has forwarded to you.
- Select the current tranche. In 2026 this is listed by month, for example the June tranche.
- Log in with Singpass. If someone in your household has already claimed, the page shows their name.
- Enter your mobile number. If it matches your Singpass records, you will not be asked for a one-time password. If it does not, an OTP is sent to confirm it.
- Wait for an SMS from the sender “gov.sg” containing your household’s unique voucher link. A genuine link starts with https://voucher.redeem.gov.sg. You can forward it to other members of your household.
If you delete the SMS, log in at the claim page again and the link will be resent. A forgotten Singpass password can be reset online or at a Singpass counter in a Community Centre or ServiceSG Centre.
Where and how to spend them
To spend, open your voucher link, choose the amount, and let the merchant scan the QR code. Your QR code then shows as “Redeemed”, along with the merchant’s name and the time. A few rules from the official FAQ are worth knowing before you shop:
- Two kinds of shop. Heartland merchants and hawkers display a teal voucher decal. Participating supermarkets display a yellow supermarket voucher decal. Each portion can only be used at its own type of outlet.
- Anywhere in Singapore. You are not limited to your own constituency. The official directory at go.gov.sg/cdcvouchers lists participating merchants.
- No change is given. The vouchers come in $2, $5 and $10 denominations. For a $6.90 purchase, you could use $5 in vouchers and pay $1.90 in cash, rather than overpaying with $7 in vouchers.
- Exclusions. They cannot be used online, or for lottery, petrol, diesel, alcohol or cigarettes.
- Stacking. You can combine up to 15 digital vouchers in one QR code, and scan more than one QR code in a single transaction.
Your remaining balance is shown on the voucher link itself. Check it now and then, so a few dollars do not lapse unnoticed.
The supermarket portion fits naturally into grocery runs, and the heartland portion into the hawker centre or market stall you already visit. If your helper does most of the cooking, our guide to setting cooking expectations with your helper covers how to plan meals and shopping lists together.
Helping elderly parents claim and use their vouchers
This is where most of the questions come from. An older parent living alone, or one who is uncomfortable with smartphones, may simply not claim. The official site offers several routes.
Claiming with a family member
The usual approach is for an adult child to sit with the parent and go through the claim on the parent’s own phone, with the parent logging in to Singpass themselves. The link then arrives on their own number, and you can show them how to open it at the shop.
Printed vouchers and Community Centres
If your parent has no smartphone, they can bring their NRIC to the nearest Community Centre or Club, with a valid Singpass account, and get the vouchers printed. Printed vouchers work like cash, and a CC can reprint remaining vouchers but will not issue a new set, so store them safely. Staff can also help with setting up or resetting Singpass. For the January 2026 tranche, CCs ran priority queues for seniors and persons with disabilities.
Authorising someone outside the household
If you live elsewhere, you can claim for your parent’s household by bringing the completed official authorisation form for that tranche, with the supporting documents it lists, to a CC.
For the wider picture of supporting an ageing parent, see our article on when a helper makes the difference for an elderly parent.
What your helper can and cannot do
She may assist with the shopping. She can accompany your parent to the supermarket or hawker centre, carry the bags, and help find stalls with the right decal. If your household chooses to, she can also pay with the voucher QR code on a phone the family has given her for errands. Agree it clearly, keep receipts, and check the balance together.
She should not handle Singpass. Singpass is a personal digital identity. It opens government services such as CPF and health records, and many banks and other organisations use it too. Your helper should never be given a family member’s Singpass password, asked to log in on someone’s behalf, or asked to approve a Singpass notification. Keeping that boundary protects your parent, and it protects your helper from being blamed if something goes wrong.
If your parent’s needs are growing beyond errands, read more about our helpers with elderly caregiving experience.
Scams to watch out for
Each tranche brings scam messages that copy the official look. The official sites give the same core advice:
- Only claim through the official link above. Official government websites end in .gov.sg.
- The genuine SMS comes from the sender “gov.sg”, and the voucher link starts with https://voucher.redeem.gov.sg. Do not open links with any other prefix.
- Claiming never needs your bank login details, a money transfer, or an app from an unofficial app store.
- Government officials will never ask you to transfer money or reveal bank login details over the phone.
- If you are unsure, call the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline at 1799. To report a suspicious message about the vouchers, call the People’s Association at 6225 5322, submit details at police.gov.sg/iwitness, or call 1800 255 0000 to make a police report.
Go through these points with older parents in person: a real voucher claim never involves a phone call asking for money.
Related guides: Hiring a Maid in Singapore: A First-Time Employer's Guide and Benefits of Hiring a Maid Through an Agency: Singapore 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to download an app to use the vouchers?
No. You claim through the official link with Singpass and receive an SMS from gov.sg with a unique voucher link. To pay, open that link and show the QR code to the participating hawker, merchant or supermarket. Nothing needs to be installed, and claiming never requires an app from an unofficial app store.
Can my elderly parent get printed vouchers instead?
Yes. A resident without a smartphone can visit the nearest Community Centre or Club with their NRIC and a valid Singpass account to have the vouchers printed. Treat printed vouchers like cash, because anyone who finds them can use them. A CC can reprint remaining vouchers, but it will not issue a new set.
When do the 2026 and 2027 vouchers expire?
According to the government benefits website, the $500 tranche from June 2026 and the additional $300 tranche from January 2027 are both valid until 31 December 2027. The earlier January 2026 tranche expires on 31 December 2026. Dates can change with new announcements, so check the official scheme website for the tranche you hold.
Can our helper use the vouchers when she shops for us?
She can help with shopping, and some families let her show the voucher QR code on a household phone during errands. The vouchers belong to the Singaporean household, and the claim must be made by a household member with their own Singpass, or by an authorised person at a CC. She should never be given anyone’s Singpass login.
What if someone else at my address already claimed?
Log in at the claim page and it will show who claimed, so you can ask them for the shared link. If that person belongs to a separate household at the same address, apply at a Community Centre or Club with your NRIC and proof of a separate household before that tranche’s deadline.
Conclusion
The scheme is easy to use once you know the routine: one household member claims with Singpass, the link arrives by SMS from gov.sg, and the QR code is scanned at shops with the teal or yellow decal before the expiry date. The harder part is making sure an elderly parent claims at all, and that nobody outside the family ever handles their Singpass.
If your family needs everyday help at home, including errands and shopping alongside an elderly parent, we are happy to talk it through. You can get in touch with the Femme5 team to discuss your family’s needs, read more about how we work with employers, or explore what a good placement looks like.
The Femme5 Team
Maid placement specialists, Femme5 Maid Agency
Our consultants work with Singaporean and expatriate families on helper matching, contracts and MOM compliance, and we verify the regulatory guidance in our articles directly against the Ministry of Manpower’s published requirements.
