ComCare Assistance: A Plain Guide for Families Caring for Seniors

When an ageing parent can no longer work and the money is running thin, many Singapore families first hear about ComCare assistance from a hospital social worker, a neighbour or a community centre notice. It is the Government’s main safety net for people who cannot meet their basic living needs, and it is often misunderstood. In this guide we explain what ComCare is, the difference between its short-term and long-term help, who may qualify in general terms, how to apply and what to expect after you do.

We write as a maid agency, not as social workers or financial advisers. A good part of our work is with families caring for elderly parents at home, and money worries are often part of that conversation. We are not the people who decide ComCare applications, and nothing here is financial advice. What we can do is set out how the scheme works, using the Ministry of Social and Family Development’s own pages, so you walk into the conversation with the right expectations.

One warning before we start. Assistance rates, income benchmarks and temporary enhancements change. We state only figures we could check on an official page, with the date they apply from. Always confirm the latest position with MSF or a Social Service Office before you plan around a number.

What ComCare is and who runs it

ComCare is run by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF). According to MSF’s ComCare page, it provides financial assistance and social support to individuals and families who need help with their daily living expenses.

The front door is the Social Service Office, or SSO. SSOs are located across the island and are where applicants are assessed, and where caseworkers link families to other help such as community services. You do not apply to a hospital, a town council or a charity for ComCare itself, although those organisations often refer people to the SSO.

It helps to think of ComCare as a needs-based scheme rather than an entitlement. Two households with similar incomes can receive different outcomes because the SSO looks at the whole picture: savings, other family members who could help, health, and what the household actually needs to get by.

The main types of ComCare assistance

MSF lists several schemes under ComCare. The three most relevant to families with an older relative are these.

Short-to-Medium-Term Assistance (SMTA)

MSF describes SMTA as temporary support for families and individuals who are unable to work for a period of time, for example because of illness or caregiving responsibilities, who are looking for a job, or who earn a low income and need help with basic living needs. MSF’s FAQ says SMTA is typically granted for 3 to 6 months in the first instance and renewed if the household continues to need support.

This is the scheme that often fits a family where an adult child has stopped work to care for a parent after a stroke or fall, and household income has dropped.

Long-Term Assistance (LTA)

LTA is for people who are permanently unable to work due to old age, illness or disability, have limited or no means of income, and have little or no family support. It is the part of ComCare most associated with elderly people living alone or with very limited family means.

Interim Assistance

Interim Assistance gives immediate, temporary financial relief to people with urgent needs. In a press release published on 29 July 2026, MSF announced a temporary enhancement running from 17 August to 31 December 2026. During that period, eligible households receive at least $250 a month for up to three months, with more for households with greater needs, and the income criterion is applied more flexibly. The release states that this enhanced Interim Assistance is for lower-income Singapore Citizens, or Permanent Residents with at least one Singapore Citizen immediate family member in the household, who live in public housing and are not already receiving ComCare. Check whether any extension has been announced if you are reading this after 2026.

Who may qualify for ComCare in Singapore

There is no calculator that gives a yes or no. MSF’s guidance gives a few anchors.

• Citizenship. MSF’s FAQ states that the applicant must be a Singapore Citizen, or a Permanent Resident where at least one immediate family member in the same household is a Singapore Citizen.
• Income benchmark. From 17 July 2023, MSF raised the per capita household income benchmark for ComCare to $800 or less a month, and removed the separate household income benchmark for SMTA. The same release says this benchmark also applies to Interim Assistance and LTA. Older ComCare Singapore guides online that quote $1,900 and $650 are out of date.
• Not a hard cut-off. MSF is clear that the benchmark is not a criterion that automatically qualifies a household, and its FAQ says income criteria are not hard thresholds. SSOs assess applicants holistically, considering factors such as household income, savings and the availability of family support.
• Family support for seniors. For LTA, MSF’s 2023 release notes that elderly persons whose children have a per capita household income of $800 or less may be eligible. In practice, the means of adult children is part of the picture.

Per capita household income simply means the total monthly household income divided by the number of people in the household. If your figure is a little above $800, it is still worth approaching an SSO, because MSF says the benchmark is not a hard threshold and the assessment looks at needs, not just a single number.

What the help can include

The core of ComCare is monthly cash assistance to help with basic living expenses. MSF has said that LTA recipients receive, on top of cash, other assistance that can include medical care at public healthcare institutions, social services and community support, as set out in its 2022 announcement on higher assistance rates.

Assistance rates are reviewed from time to time. At the MSF Committee of Supply debate in 2025, the Ministry announced it would increase SMTA and LTA cash rates. We have not printed the current dollar amounts here because the official page we could access does not list them; ask the SSO for the rate that applies to your household size.

For existing SMTA clients, the July 2026 release also announced a Temporary Supplementary Allowance: an increase of at least 5% or $50, whichever is higher, in monthly cash assistance for up to three months during the enhancement period. Clients who need more help are asked to approach their SSO for a review.

How to apply for ComCare, step by step

1. Gather the basics. Have the NRICs of household members, recent payslips or proof of income, and recent bank or CPF statements ready. If a medical condition stops someone working, any hospital or polyclinic memo is useful. The SSO will tell you exactly what it needs.
2. Check and apply online. MSF directs applicants to SupportGoWhere, where you can check schemes and submit an application. MSF’s ComCare page also offers an application guide in English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil.
3. Or call or visit an SSO. MSF’s ComCare page lists the Social Service Office contact number as 1800-777-0000, operating 24 hours. Older guides sometimes quote a different hotline, so use the number on the current MSF page.
4. Attend the assessment. A caseworker will discuss income, savings, health, housing and family support. Be honest and complete; the assessment is designed to understand needs, not to catch people out.
5. Follow up on reviews. SMTA is time-limited, so note when the support period ends and keep the SSO informed if circumstances change.

If your parent is the applicant, ask the SSO how you can support the application as a family member. Singpass logins are personal, so do not use a parent’s Singpass to apply on their behalf.

Support for the caregiver, not just the senior

ComCare is about basic living costs. Families caring for an elderly parent at home usually need other help too, and much of it sits with the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC), which runs caregiving resources and financial assistance information on its financial assistance pages.

• The Home Caregiving Grant is a monthly cash grant from AIC to help families with the cost of caring at home for a senior or person with moderate to severe disability, subject to its own criteria.
• If your parent has CareShield Life or ElderShield, see our guide to using CareShield Life payouts towards caregiving.
• For social contact and day activities, an Active Ageing Centre near home can reduce isolation and give the main caregiver a break.

These schemes have their own criteria and are applied for separately. A good SSO caseworker or medical social worker will often point you to several at once.

Practical tips from families we work with

• Apply early. Families often wait until savings are fully spent. The SSO can only help with a situation it knows about.
• Talk openly as siblings. Because family support is part of the assessment, it helps if adult children agree beforehand who contributes what, and are prepared to explain it.
• Keep records. A simple folder with letters, payslips and medical memos saves repeat trips.
• Beware of scams. Government officers will not ask you to transfer money or reveal bank login details over the phone. If a call or message claiming to be about ComCare feels wrong, hang up and call the official number yourself.
• Plan the care, not just the money. Some families find a combination of support schemes and a live-in helper, or a helper with elderly caregiving experience, is what lets an adult child return to work. Others manage with family rosters and day care. Neither is right for everyone.

Related guides: Home Caregiver Singapore: When an Elderly Parent Needs Help and Maid for Elderly Care Singapore: How Agencies Screen Helpers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my elderly parent get ComCare if my siblings and I are working?

Possibly, but family support is part of the assessment. MSF says Social Service Offices consider household income, savings and the availability of family support, and its 2023 release notes that elderly persons whose children have a per capita household income of $800 or less may be eligible for Long-Term Assistance. Each case is assessed on its own facts, so it is worth approaching an SSO rather than assuming the answer.

Is the $800 per capita income figure a strict limit for ComCare?

No. MSF states that the income criteria for ComCare schemes are not hard thresholds and that meeting the benchmark does not automatically qualify a household. Social Service Offices assess each household’s circumstances holistically, so a household slightly above the benchmark can still ask to be assessed, and one below it may still be asked about savings and family support.

How long does ComCare Short-to-Medium-Term Assistance last?

According to MSF’s FAQ, Short-to-Medium-Term Assistance is typically granted for 3 to 6 months in the first instance and can be renewed if the household continues to need support. Long-Term Assistance is for people who are permanently unable to work and have little or no means or family support, so it is designed to continue over a longer period.

What number do I call for ComCare help?

MSF’s ComCare page lists the Social Service Office line as 1800-777-0000, available 24 hours, and directs online applications to SupportGoWhere. Phone numbers can change, so check the current MSF ComCare page before calling, and never call a number that came only from an unsolicited message.

Can Permanent Residents apply for ComCare?

Only in some cases. MSF’s FAQ says the applicant must be a Singapore Citizen, or a Permanent Resident where at least one immediate family member in the same household is a Singapore Citizen. A Permanent Resident living without a Singapore Citizen family member in the household would not meet this condition.

Conclusion

ComCare is the safety net for Singapore households who cannot meet basic living needs, whether for a few months while someone recovers or looks for work, or for the long term when an elderly person can no longer work and has little family support. The rules give you anchors, such as the $800 per capita income benchmark in place since July 2023 and the citizenship condition, but the decision rests on a holistic assessment by a Social Service Office.

If you think your family might qualify, the best next step is simply to ask: apply through SupportGoWhere or call the SSO line on MSF’s current page. Rates and temporary enhancements change, so treat the figures here as a guide to how the scheme works and confirm the latest details with MSF.

If caring for a parent at home is stretching your family, we are happy to talk through what kind of help could make it manageable. 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.