Caregivers
Caregiver support in Singapore: money, training, breaks and people, in one place
The short version
- Money: the Home Caregiving Grant (S$200 to S$600 a month from April 2026), the helper levy concession (S$60 instead of S$300 a month with a citizen aged 67 or over at home), and means-tested care subsidies, raised from July 2026.
- Skills: the Caregivers Training Grant gives S$400 in the first year and a S$200 top-up every April, for approved courses.
- Breaks: respite in a nursing home for a short stay, at a day care centre, or at home through HPC+.
- People: AIC (1800 650 6060), support groups, and a way to share the watching between family members so one person is not always on call.
Start with AIC
The Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) coordinates long-term care in Singapore. Its hotline (1800 650 6060), its AIC Link centres and its website are the front door to most of the schemes below, and it can help you work out which services fit. Many hospitals also have care coordinators who can refer you before discharge.
Money
| Scheme | What it gives | Key condition |
|---|---|---|
| Home Caregiving Grant | S$600, S$400 or S$200 a month in cash (from April 2026) | Care recipient needs help with at least 3 of 6 daily activities, household income up to S$4,800 per person |
| Migrant domestic worker levy concession | Levy of S$60 a month instead of S$300 | A Singapore Citizen aged 67 or over in the household, among other routes |
| Long-term care subsidies | Means-tested subsidies for home, community and residential care, raised from 1 July 2026: for home and community care, up to 80% for Singapore Citizens and up to 95% for those born in 1969 or earlier | Means test; details from AIC |
| Seniors’ Mobility and Enabling Fund | Up to 90% off assistive devices | Aged 60+, income up to S$4,800 per person, assessed need |
Details: the Home Caregiving Grant guide and the SMF guide.
Skills: the Caregivers Training Grant
Since 1 April 2024, the Caregivers Training Grant gives S$400 in the first year it is used, then a S$200 top-up every 1 April. Unused money carries forward, but the balance is capped at S$400. The grant belongs to the person being cared for, so all their caregivers, including a domestic helper, share it. It pays for courses in AIC’s Caregivers Training Catalogue (for example on dementia care, safe transfers or the basics of caregiving), with a minimum co-payment of S$10 per course, and you must attend the whole course. The care recipient must be a Singapore Citizen or PR aged 65 or over, or have a certified disability.
Breaks: respite care
| Type | What it is | Indicative cost before subsidy |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing home respite | A short stay in a nursing home while the caregiver rests, travels or recovers | Open ward from about S$131 a day |
| Day care respite | Ad hoc days at a senior care or day care centre, some open at weekends | Day care from about S$55 a session (S$63 for dementia day care) |
| Home-based respite | Someone comes to sit with your parent at home, through HPC+ custodial support | Means-tested; ask the provider |
Costs as listed by AIC, checked on 2 November 2026, before means-tested subsidies. Book respite before you are exhausted: places can take time to arrange.
People: support groups and help with stress
- Caregiver support groups are run by hospitals, Active Ageing Centres, Dementia Singapore and community organisations. AIC can point you to one near you.
- LifeSG’s guide to caregiver stress lists warning signs and where to get help.
- Signs of burnout include constant tiredness, irritability, poor sleep, withdrawing from friends, and feeling that you are always on call. They are a signal to get help, not a failing.
- If you are in crisis, speak to your doctor, or call the Samaritans of Singapore on 1767 at any hour.
Share the watching
Much caregiver stress comes from being the only person who would notice if something went wrong. Sharing that load is as important as sharing the tasks:
- Agree who is on call when: weekdays, nights, weekends.
- Put more than one person on the alerts, so a missed call does not mean a missed emergency.
- Let each person set their own limits. A sibling abroad can hear only urgent alerts at night, while the person nearby hears everything.
- Bring in the community: the Active Ageing Centre, a befriender or a care agency. If you live abroad, see caring for a parent from overseas.
Birdhouse is designed around this. Everyone with access to a parent’s home gets alerts on their own channels, with their own quiet hours. An urgent alert escalates until someone taps “I’ve checked”, and everyone sees who took it, so you do not all call Mum at once. A daily report means the quiet days need no phone calls at all. See setting up alerts that matter.
Frequently asked questions
What support is available for caregivers in Singapore?
Financial support (the Home Caregiving Grant, the helper levy concession, long-term care subsidies), the Caregivers Training Grant, respite care in nursing homes, day care centres and at home, and support groups. AIC (1800 650 6060) is the starting point.
How much is the Caregivers Training Grant?
S$400 in the first year it is used, then a S$200 top-up every 1 April, with the balance capped at S$400. It pays for approved caregiving courses, with a minimum S$10 co-payment per course.
How do I get respite care in Singapore?
Ask AIC or your parent’s care team about nursing home respite (short stays), day care respite, or home-based respite through Enhanced Home Personal Care (HPC+). Subsidies are means-tested.
How can I avoid caregiver burnout?
Share the load: agree who is on call when, put more than one person on alerts, book respite before you are exhausted, join a support group, and talk to your doctor if stress affects your sleep or health.
Sources and further reading
- AIC: Caregivers Training Grant
- AIC: Home Caregiving Grant
- AIC: Nursing home respite care
- AIC: Day care
- AIC: Migrant Domestic Worker Levy Concession
- MOH: long-term care financing support enhanced
- MOH: Subsidy framework for non-residential long-term care services
- LifeSG: Dealing with caregiver stress
- AIC: Caregiver Support Action Plan
This guide describes Birdhouse as it works on 3 November 2026. Birdhouse is not an emergency response service and never calls emergency services for you. In a life-threatening emergency, call 995. Questions or corrections: info@birdhouse.sg.