Buying a HDB flat in Singapore is an exciting yet daunting step. It comes with a substantial financial outlay and monthly repayments that will accompany you for the next few decades of your life.
Luckily, there are several government schemes and grants you can tap on to make your home-buying journey a smooth sailing one.
This guide will help you narrow down which grants you qualify for.
How will I get my housing grants?
The grants you qualify for will be fully credited directly into your CPF Ordinary Account (OA) before being used to offset the purchase price of your flat.
Overview of the criteria for various grants
A range of criteria needs to be met for you to qualify for the grants.
• Relationship status: Are you single or a couple?
• Citizenship status: Are you Singaporean or a non-citizen?
• Is this your first time purchasing a flat?
• What’s your household income?
• What type of flat are you applying for?
Depending on the above factors, you’ll be eligible for a host of different grants. For the majority applying to purchase a HDB flat for the first time as a Singaporean couple, here are the grants available for you.
| HDB type | CPF housing grant | Income ceiling | Grant amount |
| BTO/Resale | Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (EHG) | S$9000 | S$5,000 to S$80,000 |
| Resale | Family Grant (FG) | S$14,000 | S$30,000 to S$50,000 |
| Resale | Proximity Housing Grant (PHG) | None | S$10,000 to S$30,000 |
| EC | Family Grant (FG) | S$12,000 | S$5,000 to S$30,000 |
To get as much money from the government as possible – I mean – to max out your grants, you should preferably be:
• First-time HDB buyers
• Earn S$9000 or less in combined income
• Be a couple or family
• Be Singapore citizens
Which flat type gets more grants?
Generally, you qualify for more grants if you decide to purchase a resale flat versus a Build-To-Order (BTO) flat, Sale of Balance Flat (SBF) or an Open Booking flat. This is because resale flats are sold on the open market, whereas the other flat types are sold directly by HDB at a highly subsidised rate.
I’m purchasing a BTO flat
Those purchasing a HDB BTO flat (including SBF and Open Booking flats) can get up to S$80,000 through the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (EHG).
There’s also the Step-Up CPF Housing Grant, which is only available to those upgrading from a subsidised 2-room flat or public rental flat.
I’m purchasing a resale flat
If you purchase a resale HDB flat, you can get up to twice that amount through a combination of the EHG, Family Grant and the Proximity Housing Grant. That’s a grand total of S$160,000, which should give your wallet a little more breathing room.
Types of grants
- Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (EHG)
- Proximity Housing Grant (PG)
- Family Grant (FG) for resale
- Family Grant (FG) for EC
- Step-Up CPF Housing Grant
1. Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (EHG)
Grant amount: Up to S$80,000 for couples/families and up to S$40,000 for singles.
The EHG grant amount is based on your average monthly income. This means that the more you earn, the less your grant amount. I know, you can’t have your cake and eat it too.
Which flat types qualify for EHG?
The EHG applies to all flat types regardless of size and location, with at least 20 years remaining lease.
If you’re applying for a resale flat, it must have more than 20 years remaining on the lease; otherwise, the grant will be pro-rated. You qualify for the full EHG grant if the flat has sufficient lease to cover the youngest co-owner until they are 95 years old.
How to qualify for EHG?
First-timer home buyers who are couples or families are eligible for the EHG. The combined monthly household income should not be more than S$9,000.
At least one applicant must have had continuous employment for 12 months before application and be currently working at the time of the application submission.
What about singles?
Singles aged 35 and above purchasing a resale flat are also eligible for the EHG. If you earn less than S$4,500, you can get between S$2,500 to S$40,000 in grants.
What if my spouse isn’t a Singapore Citizen?
Non-Citizen Spouse Scheme (NCS): To be eligible for the EHG, if one of you isn’t a Singapore Citizen, you can apply under the Non-Citizen Spouse Scheme (NCS). This has the exact requirements as singles applying for the EHG scheme.
What if one of us has applied for it before?
If one person is a second-timer applicant, you qualify for the Half-Housing Grant. This is half of the Family Grant (FG) you would have qualified for as a couple if both were first-time applicants.
| Amount | S$25,000 (2, 3 or 4-room) or S$20,000 (5-room or larger) |
| Assistance for | First-timer Singapore citizen applicants whose spouse had previously received any housing subsidy |
| Monthly household income | Not more than S$14,000 (or S$21,000 for extended family applicants) |
| Also eligible for | EHG for singles |
What other grants can be stacked?
This grant is stackable with the Family Grant (up to S$50,000) and Proximity Housing Grant (up to S$30,000). This adds up to a total of S$160,000 in housing grants for first-time resale homebuyers.
2. Proximity Housing Grant (PHG)
Grant amount: S$20,000 or S$30,000 for first-timers, and S$10,000 or S$15,000 for singles
Living within a 4km radius of your parents or in-laws has its perks. Not only do you get to spend more time together, but you can also qualify for HDB’s Proximity Housing Grant (PHG) of S$20,000.
To get S$10,000 more, you can choose to live under the same roof with your parents, bringing the total grant to S$30,000.
Use HDB’s Distance Enquiry e-service to check if your flat is within the 4km radius of your parent’s home.
Which flat types qualify for PHG?
The PHG applies to resale flats 2-room and larger, with a remaining lease of at least 20 years. BTO flats are not eligible.
What about singles, or if one spouse isn’t a Singapore citizen?
Singles who are at least 35 years old or couples where one is a non-citizen qualify for half the grant amount. The amount received will be S$10,000 if you live within a 4km radius of their parents, and S$15,000 if you live together with their parents.
Note: You can only receive the PHG once. If you’ve received it previously, you won’t be able to receive it again.
3. Family Grant (FG) for resale flats
Grant amount: S$50,000 (2, 3 or 4-room flat) or S$40,000 for a 5-room or bigger.
If you’re a citizen-PR couple, you get S$10,000 less. However, if the PR converts to a Singapore citizen or you have a child, you can get the S$10,000 back.
Just like the EHG, the remaining lease on the flat needs to have a sufficient lease length to cover the youngest co-owner until they are 95.
Singles: If you’re single, you don’t qualify for the Family Grant. However, there’s a Singles Grant if you’re above the age of 35, drawing a monthly income of less than S$7,000. Similar to that of the EHG, the grant amounts are halved. Singles can get S$25,000 (2, 3 or 4-room) or S$20,000 for a 5-room or bigger.
Citizen-foreigner couples: Citizen-foreigner couples qualify for the same Singles Grant as above, with one difference of the combined household income not exceeding S$14,000.
Which flat types qualify for FG?
The FG is only applicable to resale flats 2-room and larger, with a remaining lease of at least 20 years.
What other grants can be stacked: CPF Housing Grant (up to S$50,000) and Proximity Housing Grant (up to S$30,000). This adds up to a total of S$160,000 in housing grants for first-time resale homebuyers.
4. Family Grant (FG) for executive condominiums
Grant amount: S$10,000 to S$30,000 for Singaporeans
If you’re a citizen-PR couple, you get S$10,000 less. However, if the PR gets citizen status in future, you can get the S$10,000 back.
Which flat types qualify for FG?
The FG is applicable to any executive condos bought directly from the developer. When booking your EC unit, you can immediately apply for the FG.
What about singles?
Singles aren’t allowed to purchase a brand new EC, unless they apply with another single. However, there aren’t any grants available for you, sorry.
5. Step-Up CPF Housing Grant
Grant amount: S$15,000
Which flat types qualify for the Step-Up Housing Grant?
The Step-Up CPF Housing Grant applies to a 3-room resale flat in non-mature estates, with a remaining lease of at least 20 years. BTO flats are not eligible.
How to qualify for Step-Up Housing Grant?
Second-timer home buyers who are couples or families are eligible for the EHG. The combined monthly household income should not be more than S$7,000.
At least one applicant must have had continuous employment for 12 months before application and be currently working when the resale application is submitted.
What about singles?
Unfortunately, the Step-Up Housing Grant is only available to couples and families.
Do I get to keep the grants after if I decide to sell my house?
Unfortunately, the grants aren’t free money from the government. HDB grants are disbursed in the form of CPF top-ups, which means you need to return it (plus accrued interest!) to your CPF when you sell your flat.
Currently, the CPF OA interest rate is 2.5% per annum. This means the longer you live in your home before selling it, the higher the accrued interest you’ll have to pay back into your CPF OA. Should you choose to service your home loan instalments in cash instead of using your CPF, you won’t face this issue.
The first S$60,000 of the housing grants will be credited back to your CPF OA account, while the remaining grant amount goes into your CPF Special Account/Retirement Account and Medisave Account.
Which grants do you qualify for? Let us know in the comments section below or on our Facebook post.
If you found this article helpful, check out HDB grants for singles and Quick guide (with infographic) to BTO and resale HDB Grants for couples.
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