Second-Timer Applicants

The Step-Up CPF Housing Grant is available to eligible second-timers applying for a second subsidised HDB flat.

Grant Type

Step-Up CPF Housing Grant

Flat Type Applied For

For flat applications received before May 2019 sales exercise:

  • A 3-room flat in a non-mature estate

For flat applications received from May 2019 sales exercise onwards:

  • A 2-room Flexi^ or 3-room flat in non-mature estates

 ^Applicable only to second-timer families living in public rental flats.

Conditions

Current Flat Type

A 2-room subsidised flat in a non-mature estate that is:

  • Bought from HDB after October 1995, or from the resale market with a CPF Housing Grant
  • Your first subsidised flat

Or

Public rental flat1
Income Ceiling $7,0002

Employment

You and/  or your spouse/ fiancé(e) must:

  • have worked continuously for 12 months prior to the flat application
  • still be working at the time you submitted the flat application

Remaining Lease of Flat

20 years or more

Grant Amount

$15,000

1 For applications received from May 2019 sales exercise onwards.

2 For applications received from Sep 2019 sales exercise onwards. The income ceiling is $6,000 for applications received from May 2019 sales exercise to 10 Sep 2019.

How to apply

If eligible, you will be given the application form for the Step-Up CPF Housing Grant during the flat selection appointment for your new 2-room Flexi or 3-room flat in a non-mature estate.

When you come for the flat selection appointment, please bring the necessary income documents (see below) for the 12 months prior to your flat application.

Disbursement

CPF housing grants will be fully credited into the CPF Ordinary Accounts of eligible Singapore Citizen (SC) applicants. No cash is disbursed.

Type of Applicant(s)

Distribution of Grant

Sole SC applicant

Full grant

Joint SC applicants (husband and wife)

Half of the full grant each

Multi-nuclei SC applicants, e.g.:

  • Married siblings with their respective spouses
  • Parents and married child

Grant given only to a maximum of 2 applicants who are husband and wife, and who are also the current owners of the 2-room subsidised flat

Usage

CPF housing grants can be used to:

  • Offset the purchase price of the flat
  • Reduce the mortgage loan for the flat purchase

The grant cannot be used for the cash downpayment (if any) and monthly mortgage instalment payments.

If you are buying the flat with a bank loan, the grant will also be included in the computation of the CPF withdrawal limit.

 

Income documents

The income documents you are required to bring for your flat booking appointment depend on your nature of employment. We may also request further documentation if needed.

Nature of Employment

Documents to Submit

Employed person
  • 12 months’ payslips preceding the flat application

Or

  • Letter from employer certifying salaries for 12 months preceding the flat application. The letter must contain the:
    • Company stamp/ letterhead
    • Certifying officer’s name, signature, and designation

And

  • CPF Yearly Statement of Account for current year and the immediate past year
  • CPF statements showing contributions for the 12 months preceding the flat application

Notes:

  • If you are employed full-time but on no-pay leave (e.g. full-time studies) for less than 6 months out of the 12 months in review, we will consider you as employed and take your last drawn full-time pay to assess your eligibility for the housing grant(s).
  • If you are employed full-time but on no-pay leave for 6 months or more out of the 12 months in review, your income will not be considered in the assessment.

Self-employed person

Or

  • Statement of Annual Accounts certified by an audit firm

And

Or

  • Valid licence of trade

Part-time worker/ Commission-based person
  • 12 months’ payslips/ commission statements preceding the flat application

Or

  • Letter from employer certifying salaries for the 12 months preceding the flat application. The letter must contain the:
    • Company stamp/ letterhead
    • Certifying officer’s name, signature, and designation

And (for commission-based person)

  • CPF Yearly Statement of Account for current year and the immediate past year
  • CPF statements showing contributions for the 12 months preceding the flat application

Odd job worker

And

  • Previous year’s NOA from IRAS

Full-time student receiving stipends
  • Letter from the education institute stating the period and nature of study (full or part-time)
  • Copy of signed contract between the applicant and the education institute stating the conditions of the stipend

Notes:

  • You will be considered as employed if, during full-time studies, you receive stipends which are work-related, e.g. you conduct teaching/ research work for the educational institute giving the stipend

  • You will not be considered as employed for all other work done during full-time studies.
Income/ allowance that will be considered for the income ceiling
  • Allowances (fixed/ variable) received on a regular basis, such as allowances for food, transport, laundry, uniform
  • Sustenance Allowance
  • Stipend
Income/ allowance that is not considered for the income ceiling

  • Alimony allowance
  • Bonuses
  • Income from ad hoc overtime work
  • Interest from deposit accounts
  • National Service Allowance
  • Pension
  • Rental income
  • Scholarship overseas allowance
  • Overseas cost of living allowance
  • Director’s fee

Examples of Step-Up CPF Housing Grant

Example 1

Mr and Mrs C (both SCs) are the current owners of a 2-room flat in Jurong West that was bought from HDB in 2000.

They are applying for a 3-room Build-To-Order (BTO) flat in Yishun. They have worked continuously for the past 12 months prior to their flat application. Their gross monthly household income at the time of flat application is $4,000.

Mr and Mrs C will each receive $7,500 of the Step-Up CPF Housing Grant, for a total grant amount of $15,000.

 

Example 2

Mr and Mrs D (both SCs) are current owners of a 2-room flat in Sengkang, which was bought from HDB in 2010. They applied for a 3-room BTO flat in Yishun in May 2018.

Mr D was not working between May 2017 to September 2017. Nevertheless, he has been working since October 2017, drawing an average gross monthly income of $2,000, and was still employed in May 2018.

Mrs D worked in May 2017 to September 2017 with an average gross monthly income of $1,800. However, she has not been working since October 2017.

Mr and Mrs D are not eligible for the Step-Up CPF Housing Grant as none of them has worked continuously for a 12-month period prior to their flat application.

 

Example 3

Mr and Mrs E (both SCs) are current owners of a 2-room flat in Punggol, which was bought from HDB in 2012. They would like to apply for a new 2-room Flexi flat in Sembawang and would like to check if they are eligible for the Step-Up CPF Housing Grant.

Mr and Mrs E are not eligible for the Step-Up CPF Housing Grant.  As they are currently owners of a subsidised 2-room flat in a non-mature estate, they are eligible for the Step Up CPF Housing Grant if they are buying a 3-room flat in a non-mature estate from HDB or on the open market.   

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