If a parent in their fifties, sixties or seventies has started to need help at home, ElderShield in Singapore is one of the first things worth checking. Many people in that age group were enrolled years ago without giving it much thought, and some families only discover the policy when a hospital social worker or care coordinator asks about it. This guide explains who is covered, what ElderShield 300 and ElderShield 400 pay, how severe disability is assessed, how supplements fit in, how to make a claim, and how the scheme compares with CareShield Life.
ElderShield is a basic long-term care insurance scheme for Singapore citizens and permanent residents who become severely disabled. It was launched in 2002 and stopped accepting new members from 1 January 2020, when CareShield Life took over as the national scheme. Existing policies remain in force.
The figures below come from the Ministry of Health (MOH), the CPF Board and the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC), with links so you can check the current position yourself.
What ElderShield is and who is covered
According to the CPF Board’s ElderShield page, until 2019 all Singapore citizens and permanent residents with MediSave accounts were enrolled in ElderShield at age 40, unless they opted out. Auto-enrolment ended in 2020, and people who turned 40 from then on came under CareShield Life instead.
In practice, that means the people who may hold an ElderShield policy were generally born in 1979 or earlier. CareShield Life is compulsory for citizens and permanent residents born in 1980 or later. Some people born in 1979 or earlier opted out of ElderShield, and some have since upgraded to CareShield Life, so do not assume. Check your parent’s current coverage with the CPF Board before planning around a payout.
MOH’s long-term care financing page confirms that ElderShield is no longer open for new applications. If your parent never had a policy and is now severely disabled, they cannot join. MOH points to ElderFund, a discretionary assistance scheme for Singaporeans with severe disability who are not eligible for CareShield Life, ElderShield or IDAPE.
ElderShield 300 and ElderShield 400 payouts
There are two versions, and which one applies depends on when your parent joined. The AIC’s ElderShield page sets them out.
- ElderShield 300: for those who joined between 30 September 2002 and 29 September 2007. It pays $300 a month for up to 60 months, which is five years.
- ElderShield 400: for those who joined between 30 September 2007 and 31 December 2019. It pays $400 a month for up to 72 months, which is six years.
The payout is a fixed monthly sum for a limited period. It does not rise with inflation, and it stops once the maximum number of months has been paid, even if your parent remains severely disabled. That limit is the scheme’s main weakness, and the main reason MOH and CPF encourage eligible members to consider CareShield Life.
Premiums
Premiums were set when your parent joined and stay fixed. The CPF Board says they are paid until the policy anniversary after the 65th birthday, or until a successful claim, and can be paid with MediSave. Unlike CareShield Life, ElderShield has no government premium subsidies.
How severe disability is defined
ElderShield only pays out for severe disability. CPF defines this as being unable to perform at least three of six activities of daily living (ADLs), as assessed by an MOH-accredited severe disability assessor. The six ADLs are:
- Washing
- Dressing
- Feeding
- Toileting
- Walking or moving around
- Transferring, for example from a bed to a chair
The test is about needing help with the activity, not about the diagnosis. A parent recovering from a stroke, living with advanced dementia or frail after a fall might qualify, while another person with the same condition might not. AIC describes the requirement as needing full assistance with at least three of the six ADLs.
Families sometimes wait too long to arrange an assessment. If you already help with bathing, dressing and getting out of bed every day, it is worth asking an assessor.
How to claim ElderShield
Since 1 November 2021, the Government has administered ElderShield in place of the private insurers that used to run it, and claims are handled through AIC. The steps are below.
- Book a severe disability assessment. Find an MOH-accredited severe disability assessor through the AIC website. CPF and AIC put the cost at $100 if you visit the assessor’s clinic and up to $250 for a house visit. The fee is reimbursed if your parent is assessed as severely disabled.
- Submit the application. AIC recommends applying online through its eFASS portal with Singpass. If your parent is in a nursing home, the home can apply. For a hard copy form, email [email protected] or visit an AIC Link.
- Wait for processing. AIC says applications may take up to four weeks to process.
- Keep details up to date. Changes to scheme details, including stopping payouts, are made through eFASS under Manage My Schemes.
Our guide to the Agency for Integrated Care explains how to reach AIC and what else it coordinates. AIC’s general hotline is 1800-650-6060, and AIC reminds callers that its staff will never ask for money transfers or bank log-in details over the phone.
ElderShield supplements
Many ElderShield members also bought a supplement, an add-on plan sold by a private insurer that offers extra benefits such as a higher monthly payout. MOH’s page on CareShield Life and ElderShield supplements lists Singlife, Great Eastern and Income as the insurers offering MediSave-approved supplements.
Three points are worth knowing. First, supplements are still run by the insurers, not by the Government, so a supplement claim goes to the insurer separately. Second, MOH says an existing ElderShield supplement stays in force whether or not your parent upgrades to CareShield Life, as long as premiums continue to be paid, and your parent can claim from both if the criteria for each are met. Third, supplement premiums can be paid in cash or from your own or a family member’s MediSave, up to $600 per calendar year per person insured.
Supplement terms vary by insurer and plan, so check the policy documents for the actual payout, any waiting period and the claim process. We cannot advise on insurance products, so speak to the insurer or a licensed adviser if you are unsure.
ElderShield vs CareShield Life: what changes if you upgrade
For many families, the real question is ElderShield vs CareShield Life. The CPF Board’s comparison, why you should consider CareShield Life over ElderShield, sets out the differences.
- Payout size: ElderShield pays a fixed $300 or $400 a month. CareShield Life pays at least $600 a month, with the exact amount depending on age and year of claim. CPF gives $689 for 2026.
- Payout growth: CareShield Life payouts rise each year until age 67 or a successful claim, whichever is earlier. CPF says the annual growth rate has been raised from 2% to 4% for 2026 to 2030.
- Payout duration: ElderShield pays for five or six years. CareShield Life pays for as long as the person remains unable to perform three or more ADLs.
- Premiums: CareShield Life premiums are higher than ElderShield’s. Both can be paid entirely from MediSave, and CareShield Life offers means-tested premium subsidies of up to 30% for lower- to middle-income households.
Who can upgrade
MOH’s announcement on the launch of CareShield Life for cohorts born in 1979 or earlier explains that citizens and permanent residents born from 1970 to 1979 who held ElderShield 400 and were not severely disabled were auto-enrolled from 1 December 2021. Others born in 1979 or earlier who are not severely disabled can apply. Participation incentives were offered to citizens who joined by 31 December 2023. Anyone who chooses not to upgrade stays covered by ElderShield.
On a successful upgrade, CPF says the ElderShield policy is replaced by CareShield Life, and premiums already paid into ElderShield are taken into account. There is a 60-day free-look period: opting out within it refunds the premiums and returns the member to their original ElderShield plan. After that, opting out is not allowed. CPF offers a premium checker so your parent can see personalised premiums before deciding.
The upgrade is only possible while your parent is not severely disabled, so look at it sooner rather than later. Our guide to using CareShield Life payouts for caregiving covers how families plan around those payouts.
Putting the payout to work for your parent’s care
A few hundred dollars a month will not cover full-time care on its own, but it helps when combined with other support. Families often look at several schemes together:
- Home Caregiving Grant: AIC’s Home Caregiving Grant gives monthly cash payouts of up to $600 to families caring for someone who permanently needs some help with at least three ADLs, subject to a household income test. See our guide to who qualifies and how to apply.
- Helper levy concession: MOM’s concessionary levy is $60 a month instead of $300 for a first helper. A household member with disabilities can qualify if a Singapore-registered doctor certifies that they need help with at least one ADL and AIC issues a recommendation letter. Elderly Singapore citizens aged 67 and above can also qualify. See MOM’s levy concession page for the full conditions.
- Wider support: our overview of caregiver support in Singapore covers respite, training and other schemes. Older parents may also qualify for Pioneer and Merdeka Generation benefits.
Many families use these to fund a live-in helper with caregiving experience. If your parent needs daily help with three ADLs, that care is often needed around the clock, which is where an experienced elderly caregiver can make home care workable.
Related guides: Home Caregiver Singapore: When an Elderly Parent Needs Help and Maid for Elderly Care Singapore: How Agencies Screen Helpers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my parent has ElderShield?
Check with the CPF Board, which publishes ElderShield and CareShield Life information on its website. People born in 1979 or earlier who had a MediSave account were generally enrolled at age 40 unless they opted out, but some have since upgraded to CareShield Life.
How much does ElderShield pay?
ElderShield 300 pays $300 a month for up to 60 months, and ElderShield 400 pays $400 a month for up to 72 months, once the policyholder is assessed as unable to perform at least three of the six activities of daily living.
Can I still join ElderShield?
No. ElderShield stopped accepting new members from 1 January 2020. Singaporeans and PRs born in 1980 or later are covered by CareShield Life, and those born in 1979 or earlier who are not severely disabled can apply to join CareShield Life.
Does upgrading to CareShield Life cancel my ElderShield supplement?
No. MOH says an existing ElderShield supplement remains in force whether or not you upgrade, as long as you keep paying its premiums, and you can claim from both if you meet each policy’s criteria.
Who pays for the disability assessment?
You pay the assessor first, about $100 at a clinic and up to $250 for a house visit, and the fee is reimbursed if your parent is assessed as severely disabled.
Conclusion
ElderShield is a modest but useful safety net. Find out which plan your parent holds, understand that the payout is fixed and time-limited, and arrange an assessment through an MOH-accredited assessor as soon as daily help with three ADLs becomes the norm. If your parent is still well, compare the two schemes now, while upgrading is still an option.
Insurance payouts work best alongside the right help at home, and an experienced caregiver can make a real difference to your parent’s daily life. 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.
