When a parent’s children have grown up and moved out, a 4-room or 5-room flat can start to feel like more home than they need. The silver housing bonus is HDB’s support for seniors who sell and move to a smaller flat, and since 1 December 2025 it has become easier to qualify for. In this guide we explain who is eligible, how much the bonus is, how the CPF part works, the steps and deadlines, and how it compares with the Lease Buyback Scheme and Community Care Apartments.
We also cover something most guides skip: what to plan for if a live-in helper is part of your parent’s household, because a smaller flat changes the space available and some of the MOM paperwork.
We are a maid agency, not financial advisers, and this is not financial advice. The figures below come from HDB’s and CPF’s own pages, checked in October 2026. Conditions and amounts change, so confirm them on the official page before your family commits to a sale or purchase.
What the Silver Housing Bonus is
The Silver Housing Bonus (SHB) is a cash bonus for seniors who right-size to a 3-room or smaller HDB flat and put part of what they gain from the move towards their retirement income. According to HDB’s SHB page, the enhanced scheme from 1 December 2025 offers up to $40,000 per household, as long as the household commits to the required net increase in its CPF Retirement Account (RA) and joins CPF LIFE.
Two changes from December 2025 matter most. First, seniors no longer need to top up their RA in cash if their CPF housing refunds from the sale are enough. Second, there is an extra $10,000 for moving to a 2-room or smaller flat. The CPF Board’s summary of the 2025 changes also notes the scheme was extended to seniors right-sizing from private homes with an Annual Value (AV) between $21,000 and $31,000.
Who is eligible
HDB lists these conditions, assessed at the point of SHB application:
- Citizenship and age: at least 1 owner must be a Singapore Citizen aged 55 or above.
- Income: gross monthly household income of $16,000 or less. This rose from $14,000 in HDB’s August 2026 income ceiling revision, so older articles may show the lower figure.
- Existing property: an HDB flat that has met its minimum occupation period for resale, or a private residential property with an AV of up to $31,000.
- Other property: you must not concurrently own or have an interest in a private residential property, or in more than 1 non-residential property.
- Next flat: a 3-room flat (excluding 3-room terrace) or a 2-room or smaller flat, including a Community Care Apartment.
- Net sale proceeds: must be positive, meaning the selling price exceeds any outstanding housing loan, the price of the next flat, any resale levy and any subsidy recovery for Plus and Prime flats.
Your parent must also meet the usual conditions to buy an HDB flat and hold a valid HDB Flat Eligibility (HFE) letter before applying for a new flat or getting an Option to Purchase on a resale flat.
How much the bonus is
The bonus depends on what your parent sells, what they buy and how much they commit to their RA:
- From an HDB flat, or a private home with AV of $21,000 or less: up to $30,000 for a 3-room flat, pro-rated at $1 for every $2 committed to the RA. Moving to a 2-room or smaller flat, including a CCA, adds $10,000, for a maximum of $40,000.
- From a private home with AV between $21,000 and $31,000: up to $10,000, pro-rated at $1 for every $6 committed. The extra $10,000 for a 2-room or smaller flat still applies, for a maximum of $20,000.
HDB states that the extra $10,000 is not pro-rated and applies regardless of how much is committed. HDB’s own example describes a couple selling a 5-room flat for $705,000 and buying a new 3-room flat for $275,000. They commit $60,000 from their CPF housing refunds to their RAs and receive $30,000, with no cash top-up needed.
The CPF part: net increase in your Retirement Account
To qualify, the household commits to a net increase of up to $60,000 in its CPF RA after right-sizing, with that sum going towards retirement payouts. HDB explains that the amount depends on the net sale proceeds, is capped at $60,000 per household, and is further capped by the prevailing Full Retirement Sum.
The key change is that the money can come from CPF housing refunds, meaning the CPF principal used for the flat plus accrued interest, which is refunded to CPF when the flat is sold. CPF notes that for seniors aged 55 and above, housing refunds go first to the RA up to the member’s cohort Full Retirement Sum, with any balance staying in the Ordinary Account.
The committed sum supports monthly payouts through CPF LIFE from the payout eligibility age. If you would like to understand how those payouts work, our guide to CPF LIFE plans and payouts covers the basics.
Steps and timelines for right-sizing HDB flats with the bonus
The order of the two transactions and the deadlines matter. Based on HDB’s conditions:
- Check eligibility and get an HFE letter. HDB’s monetisation page links to an e-service that estimates your options and possible payouts.
- Time the purchase. Booking a new HDB flat, or submitting the resale application, must happen either before selling the existing home or within 12 months of completing that sale.
- Complete both transactions. HDB says it will explain the SHB application procedure at the completion appointment for the second transaction, whether that is the sale or the purchase.
- Apply for the SHB within 1 year of the legal completion date of the second transaction. Mark this date. It is easy to lose track of during a move.
If your parent will buy a new flat, the wait before keys can be long, so plan where they will live in between. A resale flat or one closer to family may suit better; our article on the Proximity Housing Grant covers support for living near each other.
How it compares with the Lease Buyback Scheme and Community Care Apartments
HDB offers several ways to unlock a flat’s value in retirement, and they suit different situations.
Lease Buyback Scheme
The Lease Buyback Scheme lets owners aged 65 or older sell the tail end of their lease to HDB while staying in the same flat, with the proceeds topping up the RA and a bonus of up to $30,000 for 3-room or smaller flats. The SHB, by contrast, means moving. HDB’s monetisation overview states that flat owners may enjoy either the SHB or the LBS bonus, but not both, though they may combine other options such as later renting out the flat.
Community Care Apartments
Community Care Apartments are senior-friendly flats with care services built in. CPF’s overview of retirement housing options says buyers must be Singapore Citizens, all buyers and their spouses must be at least 55 when they apply, and all residents subscribe to a Basic Service Package. Since a CCA counts as a 2-room or smaller flat, moving into one can attract the extra $10,000. Our guide to Community Care Apartments covers eligibility and fees.
In short: staying put with more income points to the LBS, a simpler home with a bonus points to the SHB, and a home with care services built in points to a CCA.
If a helper lives with your parent
Many seniors who right-size already have a live-in helper, or will need one. A smaller flat changes the picture, so plan for it before choosing a unit.
Space and MOM accommodation rules
MOM’s accommodation guidelines say a separate room is ideal; if not, she needs adequate space and privacy. She must not share a room with a male adult or teenager, must have at least a mattress, pillow and blanket, and needs fans if ventilation is poor. No cameras may be placed where she sleeps, changes or bathes. In a 2-room flat, work out honestly where she would sleep before buying. Before assuming a helper can live in a CCA or a short-lease 2-room Flexi flat, ask HDB about the occupier rules for that unit.
Address and levy concession
MOM’s employment rules require a helper to work only at the residential address declared to MOM, so the move must be reflected in MOM’s records. MOM’s page on notifying changes says an employer must update their new residential address within 2 weeks of the change; a Singapore Citizen or PR employer does this through ICA’s eService, and the helper’s workplace address then updates automatically. If the parent is not the employer or the employer’s spouse, the concessionary levy for an elderly Singapore Citizen aged 67 or above also depends on matching NRIC addresses and the parent being listed as a household member in FDW eService, as MOM’s levy concession page explains. If your parent is moving in with you instead, our page on helpers with elderly caregiving experience may help you plan care at the new address.
A smaller flat also means less storage. Sorting belongings early makes the move far easier; our room-by-room decluttering guide is a practical start.
Related guides: Home Caregiver Singapore: When an Elderly Parent Needs Help and Maid for Elderly Care Singapore: How Agencies Screen Helpers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to top up my CPF in cash to get the Silver Housing Bonus?
Not necessarily. Since 1 December 2025, HDB says you qualify by committing to a net increase of up to $60,000 in your CPF Retirement Account after right-sizing, and you can use your CPF housing refunds from the sale if they are sufficient. If the refunds are not enough, part of the commitment may need to be made in cash.
What is the maximum bonus?
The maximum is $40,000 per household. That is up to $30,000 for committing $60,000 to the RA, plus $10,000 for moving to a 2-room or smaller flat, including a Community Care Apartment. Seniors selling a private home with an AV between $21,000 and $31,000 can receive up to $20,000.
Can my parent get both the SHB and the Lease Buyback Scheme bonus?
No. HDB states that flat owners may enjoy either the SHB or the LBS bonus, but not both. Owners can combine other monetisation options where eligible, such as renting out the flat later.
How long do we have to apply after the move?
The SHB application must be submitted within 1 year of the legal completion date of the second housing transaction, whether the sale or the purchase. The purchase itself must be booked or applied for before the sale or within 12 months of completing it.
Is a 4-room flat allowed under the scheme?
No. The next flat must be a 3-room flat, excluding 3-room terrace, or a 2-room or smaller flat. A move from a 5-room to a 4-room flat would not qualify for the bonus, although the household may still benefit from right-sizing in other ways.
Conclusion
The bonus is now easier to reach than before December 2025, because CPF housing refunds can count towards the RA commitment and a move to a 2-room flat or CCA earns an extra $10,000. For a parent ready to leave a large flat, it can turn the move into a lasting boost to monthly retirement income. Check the eligibility conditions and deadlines carefully, confirm current figures on HDB’s page, and take independent advice where you need it.
If a helper is part of the plan, think about space, the address on MOM’s records and the levy concession before choosing the new flat.
If your parent’s move also means rethinking their care at home, we are happy to help. 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.
