Singapore expands family aid as fertility rate falls to 0.87
Why it matters: The package adds childcare leave, lowers preschool fees and raises housing support for first-time parents.
Singapore is widening support for parents after Prime Minister Lawrence Wong used his July 23 National Day Rally speech to roll out new family measures as the country’s total fertility rate sits at 0.87. The package includes more childcare leave, added financial support, lower preschool fees and better ballot chances for first-time buyers of BTO flats. The move also marks a policy shift toward treating every child equally for support purposes. The measures are aimed at easing cost pressures around raising children, a key barrier as the government tries to reverse a prolonged birth slump. The changes put family policy at the center of Wong’s domestic agenda and could shape how quickly further incentives are introduced.