Singapore starts S$500 vouchers for 1.38 million households
Why it matters: The payout was moved up by about six months as officials brace for higher imported costs linked to the Middle East crisis.
Singapore on June 11 began issuing S$500 in CDC vouchers to all 1.38 million Singaporean households, bringing forward a tranche that had been scheduled for January 2027. The vouchers, aimed at easing cost-of-living pressure, can be claimed through the government portal using Singpass and remain valid until Dec. 31, 2027. As with earlier rounds, half can be spent at participating hawkers and heartland merchants and half at supermarkets. Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong tied the earlier rollout to concerns that higher energy and input costs from the Middle East crisis could feed through global supply chains. Major chains including FairPrice, Prime and Sheng Siong also rolled out promotions tied to the vouchers.