Rehousing Benefits

You will receive rehousing benefits under the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS). These benefits will vary, depending on your household status:

  • First- and second-timer
  • Non-Citizen Spouse household
  • Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR) household
  • Remaining Single and Joint Singles household
  • Single Singapore Citizen (SC) household
  • Third-timer and household who has had SERS benefits before
  • Private property owner

Please refer to the information below to help you identify which household status you belong to.

Note:

SERS rehousing benefits will be offered to flat owners who are eligible to retain their SERS flat and fulfil all other prevailing conditions. Flat owners may not be eligible for the SERS rehousing benefits, if they have infringed the Housing & Development Act before or after the SERS announcement.

SERS grant

The SERS grant:

  • Is distributed equally among eligible Singapore citizen who owns a SERS flat (regardless of the manner of holding) and buy a replacement flat from HDB
  • Is credited to the flat owner's CPF ordinary account as part of CPF savings
  • Can only be used to pay for the replacement flat
  • Will be returned (with interest) to the flat owner’s CPF account if the replacement flat is subsequently sold or transferred
  • Will be recovered (with interest) by HDB if the application for the replacement flat is cancelled

First- and second-timer

A first-timer household is one that has not bought a flat directly from HDB, or an Executive Condominium (EC) or Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) flat from a developer, or taken a CPF Housing Grant or any form of housing subsidy before. A second-timer household is one that has bought 1 flat directly from HDB, an EC or DBSS flat from a developer, or taken a CPF Housing Grant or some form of housing subsidy before.

Your rehousing benefits

Details

SERS grant
  • $30,000 grant to buy a new flat at a subsidised price

Type of flat
  • Up to a new 5-room or 3Gen flat if you meet the additional eligibility conditions

Note:

  • 5-room and 3Gen flats are offered at selected SERS replacement precincts only

Waiver of fees
  • Administrative and booking fees for the replacement flat
  • $10,000 premium on top of the purchase price when buying a flat directly from HDB (for first-timer SC/SPR household)
  • Resale levy or premium if you bought the SERS flat directly from HDB or from the open market with a CPF Housing Grant

Deferred payment to HDB
  • Delay paying for the new flat until you collect the keys

Resale levy or premium concessions
  • Capped at $30,000, and different payment options are available, including deducting the amount from the SERS compensation

Note:

  • You will pay the resale levy or premium if you had previously sold a flat bought directly from HDB, or a unit, which can be a resale flat, DBSS flat or EC, bought with a CPF Housing Grant, and had chosen to pay a deferred resale levy or premium
  • If you sold your first subsidised flat between July 1985 and May 1997 and chose to pay the premium, you may now change the option to resale levy (up to $30,000), if it is more favourable

Replacement flat housing loan eligibility

If your SERS flat is or was financed by an HDB concessionary loan:

  • You are eligible for a loan from HDB
  • The maximum loan we grant for the replacement flat will depend on a credit assessment

If your SERS flat is or was financed by an HDB market rate loan or bank loan:

  • You are not eligible for a loan from HDB
  • You may get a bank loan, if you need one
 

Non-Citizen Spouse household

This is a household with a Singapore citizen (SC) and a spouse who is neither a SC nor a Singapore permanent resident.

Your rehousing benefits

Details

SERS grant
  • $15,000 grant to buy a new flat at a subsidised price

Note:

  • If the SC is below 35 years old as at the SERS announcement, the non-citizen spouse must have a Long Term Visit Pass or Work Pass, which is valid for at least 6 months in order to qualify for the $15,000 SERS grant

Type of flat
  • Up to a new 5-room or 3Gen flat if you meet the additional eligibility conditions

Note:

  • 5-room and 3Gen flats are offered at selected SERS replacement precincts only

Waiver of fees
  • Administrative and booking fees for the replacement flat
  • Resale levy or premium if you bought the SERS flat directly from HDB or from the open market with a CPF Housing Grant

Deferred payment to HDB
  • Delay paying for the new flat until you collect the keys

Resale levy or premium concessions
  • Capped at $30,000, and different payment options are available, including deducting the amount from the SERS compensation

Note:

  • You will pay the resale levy or premium if you had previously sold a flat bought directly from HDB, or a unit, which can be a resale flat, DBSS flat or EC, bought with a CPF Housing Grant, and had chosen to pay a deferred resale levy or premium
  • If you sold your first subsidised flat between July 1985 and May 1997 and chose to pay the premium, you may now change the option to resale levy (up to $30,000), if it is more favourable 

Replacement flat housing loan eligibility

If your SERS flat is or was financed by an HDB concessionary loan:

  • You are eligible for a loan from HDB
  • The maximum loan we grant for the replacement flat will depend on a credit assessment

If your SERS flat is or was financed by an HDB market rate loan or bank loan:

  • You are not eligible for a loan from HDB
  • You may get a bank loan, if you need one
 

Singapore Permanent Resident household

This is a household with no Singapore citizen owner.

Your rehousing benefits

Details

Subsidised selling price
  • New flat at a subsidised price (no SERS grant)

Type of flat
  • Up to a new 5-room or 3Gen flat if you meet the additional eligibility conditions

Note:

  • 5-room and 3Gen flats are offered at selected SERS replacement precincts only

Waiver of fees
  • Administrative and booking fees for the replacement flat

Deferred payment to HDB
  • Delay paying for the new flat until you collect the keys

Resale levy or premium concessions
  • Capped at $30,000, and different payment options are available, including deducting the amount from the SERS compensation.

Note:

  • You will pay the resale levy or premium if you had previously sold a flat bought directly from HDB, or a unit, which can be a resale flat, DBSS flat or EC, bought with a CPF Housing Grant, and had chosen to pay a deferred resale levy or premium
  • If you sold your first subsidised flat between July 1985 and May 1997 and chose to pay the premium, you may now change the option to resale levy (up to $30,000), if it is more favourable 

Replacement flat housing loan eligibility
  • You are not eligible for a loan from HDB
  • You may get a bank loan, if you need one

To receive a SERS grant of $30,000, and be considered for a housing loan from HDB (the maximum loan granted will depend on our credit assessment), your household must meet the following before collecting keys to your replacement flat:

  • A family member aged at least 21 obtains Singapore citizenship and is included as a co-applicant for the replacement flat 
  • Your household meets the eligibility conditions to buy a flat on 99-year lease directly from HDB

You cannot rent out the whole replacement flat.

If you buy or acquire an interest in a private property after fulfilling the required minimum occupation period for the replacement flat, you will have to dispose of the flat within 6 months from buying the private property.

Remaining Single and Joint Singles households

A remaining single is a Singapore citizen who bought the SERS flat with his/her family and is now the only owner as his/her spouse, parent(s) or child(ren) had passed away. A joint singles household is one that comprises two or more single Singapore citizen owners.

Your rehousing benefits

Details

SERS grant
  • $30,000 grant to buy a new flat at a subsidised price

Type of flat
  • Up to a new 4-room flat or the same type of flat as the SERS flat, whichever is bigger

Waiver of fees
  • Administrative and booking fees for the replacement flat
  • Resale levy or premium if you bought the SERS flat directly from HDB, or from the open market with a CPF Housing Grant

Deferred payment to HDB
  • Delay paying for the new flat until you collect the keys

Resale levy or premium concessions
  • Capped at $30,000, and different payment options are available, including deducting the amount from the SERS compensation

Note:

  • You will pay the resale levy or premium if you had previously sold a flat bought directly from HDB, or a unit, which can be a resale flat, DBSS flat or EC, bought with a CPF Housing Grant, and had chosen to pay a deferred resale levy or premium
  • If you sold your first subsidised flat between July 1985 and May 1997 and chose to pay the premium, you may now change the option to resale levy (up to $30,000), if it is more favourable

Replacement flat housing loan eligibility

If your SERS flat is or was financed by an HDB concessionary loan:

  • You are eligible for a loan from HDB
  • The maximum loan we grant for the replacement flat will depend on a credit assessment

If your SERS flat is or was financed by an HDB market rate loan or bank loan:

  • You are not eligible for a loan from HDB
  • You may get a bank loan, if you need one
 

Single Singapore Citizen household

A single Singapore citizen household is one where the owner bought the SERS flat as a single.

Your rehousing benefits

Details

SERS grant
  • $15,000 grant to buy a new flat at a subsidised price

Type of flat
  • Up to a new 3-room or the same type of flat as the SERS flat, whichever is bigger

Waiver of fees
  • Administrative and booking fees for the replacement flat
  • Resale levy or premium if you bought the SERS flat directly from HDB or from the open market with a CPF Housing Grant

Deferred payment to HDB
  • Delay paying for the new flat until you collect the keys

Resale levy or premium concessions
  • Capped at $30,000, and different payment options are available, including deducting the amount from the SERS compensation

Note:

  • You will pay the resale levy or premium if you had previously sold a flat bought directly from HDB, or a unit, which can be a resale flat, DBSS flat or EC, bought with a CPF Housing Grant, and had chosen to pay a deferred resale levy or premium
  • If you sold your first subsidised flat between July 1985 and May 1997 and chose to pay the premium, you may now change the option to resale levy (up to $30,000), if it is more favourable

Replacement flat housing loan eligibility

If your SERS flat is or was financed by an HDB concessionary loan:

  • You are eligible for a loan from HDB
  • The maximum loan we grant for the replacement flat will depend on a credit assessment

If your SERS flat is or was financed by an HDB market rate loan or bank loan:

  • You are not eligible for a loan from HDB
  • You may get a bank loan, if you need one
 
You can receive more SERS rehousing benefits if you: 
  • Include your parents and/ or children in the new flat application to form a family unit or
  • Are legally married before you collect the keys to your new flat
When the newly formed household meets all the eligibility conditions to buy a 99-year lease flat from HDB (not including non-citizen spouse families), you will:
  • Receive a higher SERS grant of $30,000
  • Be eligible to buy up to a 5-room flat

Third-timer and household who has had SERS benefits before

A third-timer household is one that has bought more than one flat directly from HDB, or had a CPF Housing Grant and bought at least one flat directly from HDB. A household who has had SERS benefits before is one whose previous flat had been announced for SERS and had enjoyed the SERS rehousing benefits then.

Your rehousing benefits

Details

Subsidised selling price
  • New flat at a subsidised price (no SERS grant)

Type of flat
  • Up to a new 3-room flat (for singles), 4-room flat (for remaining singles and joint singles), 5-room flat (for families) or 3Gen flat if you meet the additional eligibility conditions, or the same flat type as the SERS flat, whichever is bigger
Note:
  • 5-room and 3Gen flats are offered at selected SERS replacement precincts only
  • If you have previously had SERS rehousing benefits, you are not allowed to sell your SERS flat on the open market. 

Waiver of fees
  • Administrative and booking fees for the replacement flat

Deferred payment to HDB
  • Delay paying for the new flat until you collect the keys

Resale levy or premium concessions
  • Capped at $30,000, and different payment options are available, including deducting the amount from the SERS compensation

Note:

  • The resale levy or premium does not apply to third-timers who had already paid a resale levy or premium before
  • You will pay the resale levy or sales premium if you had previously sold a flat bought directly from HDB, or a unit, which can be a resale flat, DBSS flat or EC, bought with a CPF Housing Grant, and chosen to pay a deferred resale levy or sales premium
  • If you sold your first subsidised flat between July 1985 and May 1997 and chose to pay the resale premium, you may now change the option to resale levy (up to $30,000), if it is more favourable

Replacement flat housing loan eligibility

If your SERS flat is or was financed by an HDB concessionary loan:

  • You are eligible for a loan from HDB
  • The maximum loan we grant for the replacement flat will depend on our credit assessment

If your SERS flat is or was financed by an HDB market rate loan or bank loan:

  • You are not eligible for a loan from HDB
  • You may get a bank loan, if you need one
 

Private property owner

A private property owner is one who owns a private property at the time of SERS announcement.

Your rehousing benefits

Details

Subsidised selling price
  • New flat at a subsidised price (no SERS grant)

Type of flat
  • Up to a new 3-room flat (for singles), 4-room flat (for remaining singles and joint singles), 5-room flat (for families) or 3Gen flat if you meet the additional eligibility conditions, or the same type as the SERS flat, whichever is bigger

Note:

  • 5-room and 3Gen flats are offered at selected SERS replacement precincts only
  • If you buy a new flat at the replacement site or a new flat elsewhere under a BTO or SBF exercise or open booking, you must live in the new flat after its completion while keeping the private property for investment. 

Waiver of fees
  • Administrative and booking fees for the replacement flat
  • Resale levy or premium if you bought the SERS flat directly from HDB, or from the open market with a CPF Housing Grant) 

Deferred payment to HDB
  • Delay paying for the new flat until you collect keys

Resale levy or premium concessions
  • Capped at $30,000, and different payment options are available, including deducting the amount from the SERS compensation

Note:

  • You will pay the resale levy or premium if you had previously sold a flat bought directly from HDB, or a unit, which can be a resale flat, DBSS flat or EC, bought with a CPF Housing Grant, and had chosen to pay a deferred resale levy or premium
  • If you sold your first subsidised flat between July 1985 and May 1997 and chose to pay the premium, you may now change the option to resale levy (up to $30,000), if it is more favourable 

Replacement flat housing loan eligibility
  • You are not eligible for a loan from HDB
  • You may get a bank loan, if you need one
 

Further financial assistance through CPF Housing Grants

On top of the SERS grant, eligible households can get further financial assistance for their replacement flat purchase by applying for the Enhanced Housing Grant (EHG). These grant amounts are tiered to give lower income households greater financial assistance to buy their new flat.

Eligible first-timer families and households under the Joint Singles Scheme may apply for the EHG if their average gross monthly household income for 12 months before applying for a replacement flat is $9,000 or less. First-timer households under the Non-Citizen Spouse Scheme, Remaining Single and Single Singapore Citizen Scheme may also apply (if eligible) and the qualifying income is set at $4,500.

At least one flat applicant must be in continuous employment for 12 months prior to the flat application, and still be employed at the time of application. The EHG is on top of the SERS grant given when buying a subsidised replacement flat. The EHG amount depends on the average gross monthly income for the 12 months prior to the flat application, as set out below:

Enhanced CPF Housing Grant amount by household income bracket

First Timer families and households under Joint Singles Scheme First Timer households under Non-Citizen Spouse Scheme, Remaining Single and Single Singapore Citizen Scheme

Average gross monthly household income*

Grant Amount#

 Average gross monthly household income*

Grant Amount#

$1,500 or less

$80,000

$750 or less

$40,000

$1,501 to $2,000

$75,000

$751 to $1,000

$37,500

$2,001 to $2,500

$70,000

$1,001 to $1,250

$35,000

$2,501 to $3,000

$65,000

$1,251 to $1,500

$32,500

$3,001 to $3,500

$60,000

$1,501 to $1,750

$30,000

$3,501 to $4,000

$55,000

$1,751 to $2,000

$27,500

$4,001 to $4,500

$50,000

$2,001 to $2,250

$25,000

$4,501 to $5,000

$45,000

$2,251 to $2,500

$22,500

$5,001 to $5,500

$40,000

$2,501 to $2,750

$20,500

$5,501 to $6,000

$35,000

$2,751 to $3,000

$17,500

$6,001 to $6,500

$30,000

$3,001 to $3,250

$15,000
$6,501 to $7,000
 $25,000 $3,251 to $3,500 $12,500
$7,001 to $7,500 $20,000 $3,501 to $3,750 $10,000
$7,501 to $8,000 $15,000 $3,751 to $4,000 $7,500
$8,001 to $8,500 $10,000 $4,001 to $4,250 $5,000
$8,501 to $9,000 $5,000 $4,251 to $4,500 $2,500
Note:
#Remaining lease of flat must be 20 years or more. Flat must have sufficient lease to cover the youngest buyer and spouse to the age of 95. Otherwise, the household will enjoy a pro-rated EHG.
* Based on (i) your income; or (ii) half the average monthly household income over 12 months before applying to buy the flat if the household is under Non-Citizen Spouse Scheme or is made up of a first-timer and a second-timer applicant.
First-timers who buy a 2-room Flexi flat on a short lease of between 15 and 45 years are eligible for the EHG.
Young couples buying a replacement flat may defer the income assessment for the EHG and HDB housing loan until their key collection appointment, if eligible.

Flat owners who have booked or applied for a flat under the BTO or SBF exercise or open booking before the SERS announcement

You may have booked or applied for a new flat under our Build-To-Order (BTO) or Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) exercise or open booking, before learning that your flat had been announced for SERS. There are a few options available in such cases. During the Collector’s Inquiry, we will discuss the options with you. Subsequently, you will be given a form to indicate your choice.

Available options

You can either:

  • Keep the flat application with SERS rehousing benefits
  • Cancel the public sales application and take up any of the available SERS rehousing options

These options are available to:

  • First- and second-timer
  • Non-Citizen Spouse household
  • Remaining Single and Joint Singles household
  • Single Singapore Citizen household

Additional options for first-timer

First-timer households also have additional options. You can:

  • Keep the flat application as a public applicant and sell the SERS flat with SERS rehousing benefits; or
  • Keep the flat application as a public applicant and return the SERS flat for an ex-gratia payment on top of total compensation (with resale levy payable based on the type of SERS flat).

Thereafter, you will be considered to have had two housing subsidies.

 

What if I am an undischarged bankrupt?

Prior consent must be obtained from the Official Assignee (OA) if you are applying to buy an HDB flat that is bigger than a 5-room flat or a 3Gen flat. For flat owners whose flats were announced for SERS from 1 February 2016 onwards, the OA's prior consent is also required to buy any flat type with a net purchase of $500,000 or above, after taking into account any HDB subsidies or levy.

You do not need to seek OA's approval to be listed as an occupier of the replacement flat.

Eligibility conditions for buying 3Gen flats

To qualify for a 3Gen flat, you need to meet the additional eligibility conditions as follows:

  • Form a multi-generation family by including your parent(s) or married child as co-applicants or occupiers in the replacement flat; and
  • At least one parent or married child must be Singapore Citizen or Singapore Permanent Resident.

3Gen flat owners cannot rent out any bedrooms within 5 years from collecting the keys. 3Gen flats can only be resold in the open market (upon meeting the required minimum occupation period) to other eligible multi-generation families.  

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