Carers' Policies in Singapore

The Singapore government has to address increasing pressures on family carers caused by an ageing population and more people suffering disabilities and chronic diseases. It has launched several policies to support carers, including the Home Caregiving Grant, the ABCs of Caregiving Course, the Caregivers Training Grant, and the Work-Life Grant. However, research studies show that the policies remain overly recipient-centred, insufficiently responsive to caregivers’ diverse circumstances, and heavily reliant on family provision, which risks placing unsustainable burdens on households. Moreover, caregiving duties increasingly fall on older and middle-aged adults, with women disproportionately affected. Therefore, more employment and welfare support measures, as well as a gender-responsive policy, are required to help informal carers maintain their employment, reduce their burden, and promote gender equality in caregiving.