Citizen Top-Up

The Citizen Top-Up is a $10,000 housing subsidy that is given to eligible Singapore Citizen (SC)/ Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR) households when a qualifying household member becomes an SC.

Eligibility conditions

Criteria Details
Household

Assistance for SC/ SPR households who have:

  • Paid a premium of $10,000 when buying a flat from HDB
  • Taken a Family Grant which was $10,000 lesser than an SC/ SC household for the purchase of:
    • A resale flat on the open market
    • A Design Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) flat bought from a property developer
    • An Executive Condominium (EC) unit bought from a property developer
Citizenship

An SC/ SPR household will qualify for the Citizen Top-Up when:

  • The SPR spouse/ parent/ child/ sibling^ originally listed in the flat or EC application obtains Singapore Citizenship status
  • An SC child is born to the SC applicant and spouse, both who are originally listed in the flat or EC unit application

^ The conversion of a SPR sibling to SC to qualify for the Citizen Top-Up applies only to flats purchased as orphaned siblings or families with non-resident spouse.
Application for Citizen Top-Up and qualifying period

You must submit your application for Citizen Top-up within 6 months of meeting the citizenship criteria.
Distribution of Citizen Top-Up

If your household is eligible for the Citizen Top-Up, all eligible SC and SPR members of the core family nucleus[1] will receive equal shares of the Citizen Top-Up. It will be fully credited into the CPF Ordinary Accounts of SCs and SPRs.

Note: Only core applicant(s) can use their share of the CPF housing grants to pay for the flat, e.g. loan repayment.

[1] A household’s eligibility for housing subsidies and HDB housing loan will be assessed based on the core family nucleus, which is formed by the core members(s). Core members refer to the applicant(s) and occupier(s) in an HFE letter application who enable the applicant(s) to qualify for a flat purchase under an eligibility scheme. All core members must remain in the flat application, and physically reside in the flat during the minimum occupation period (MOP) after the flat purchase. Their names cannot be removed.

Use of Citizen Top-Up

The Citizen Top-Up can only be used for the purposes detailed below:

If you are servicing a housing loan and do not have any outstanding housing loan arrears due
Housing loan from The unused Citizen Top-Up amount can be used for
HDB
  • A lump sum repayment; or
  • Full redemption of the housing loan
Financial institution
  • A lump sum repayment; or
  • Monthly instalments; or
  • Full redemption of the housing loan

If there are any housing loan arrears due, it must be fully paid before the Citizen Top-Up amount can be used for the above purpose(s).

If you

  • Do not have any housing loan; or
  • Have a balance Citizen Top-Up amount after using it to make a full redemption of the housing loan

The unused Citizen Top-Up amount

  • Can only be used for buying another HDB flat in the future; and
  • Forms part of the CPF funds available for withdrawal under the CPF rules when the Citizen Top-Up recipient reaches 55 years of age

Please note that the Citizen Top-Up can only be used for approved purposes, and that there are further conditions that apply when it is distributed.

Conditions after getting the Citizen Top-Up

Please take note that these conditions will take effect after you or any eligible SC/ SPR members of your household has received the Citizen Top-Up:

Refund of CPF savings

Any CPF savings used for the purchase of the flat or EC unit, including the Citizen Top-Up, are to be returned with accrued interest to you or any eligible SC/ SPR members of your household's CPF Ordinary Account when you sell the flat or EC unit.

Parent/ child/ sibling occupier

The new SC parent/ child/ sibling who enabled you to qualify for the Citizen Top-Up must remain listed in the flat or EC unit, and physically and continuously reside in the flat or EC unit for the duration of the remaining minimum occupation period (MOP). Their names cannot be removed. They also cannot apply or be listed in an HDB Flat Eligibility (HFE) letter to buy an HDB flat or EC unit from a property developer during the MOP.

Examples

New flat

Example 1

Mr A (SC) and Mrs A (SPR) paid a premium of $10,000 when they bought a flat from HDB. They have applied for Citizen Top-Up within 6 months after Mrs A obtained her Singapore Citizenship.

Household members Role Citizenship Distribution of Citizen Top-Up
Mr A Core-owner SC $5,000
Mrs A Core-owner Previously SPR, now SC $5,000

Resale flat

Example 2

Mr B (SPR) and Mrs B (SC) bought a resale flat on the open market and received a Family Grant, which was $10,000 lesser than an SC/ SC household. They have applied for Citizen Top-Up within 6 months after Mr B obtained his Singapore Citizenship.

Household members Role Citizenship Distribution of Citizen Top-Up
Mr B Core-owner SC $5,000
Mrs B Core-occupier Previously SPR, now SC $5,000

Example 3

Mr C (SC) bought a resale flat on the open market, listing his wife (non-resident) and son (SPR) as occupiers. He received a Family Grant for the purchase, which was $10,000 lesser than an SC/ SC household. They have applied for Citizen Top-Up within 6 months after Mr C’s child has obtained his Singapore Citizenship.

Household members Role Citizenship Distribution of Citizen Top-Up
Mr C Core-owner SC $10,000
Mrs C Core-occupier Non-resident $0
Mr and Mrs C's son Core-occupier Previously SPR, now SC $0

Executive Condominium (EC) unit

Example 4

Mr D (SC) and Mrs D (SPR) bought an EC unit from a property developer and received a Family Grant, which was $10,000 lesser than an SC/ SC household. They have applied for Citizen Top-Up within 6 months after their SC child was born.

Household members Role Citizenship Distribution of Citizen Top-Up
Mr D Core-owner SC $5,000
Mrs D Core-owner SPR $5,000
Mr and Mrs D's child Core-occupier SC $0