Singapore Govt Confirms Workfare Special Payment for December 2025

As global living costs continue to climb and working conditions evolve, governments worldwide are pressed to ensure that lower-wage workers are not left behind. In this context, the Central Provident Fund Board (CPF) and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in Singapore have announced a timely enhancement: a one-off Workfare Special Payment scheduled for December 2025. 

This initiative is aimed at helping eligible workers especially those in lower-income categories cope with year-end financial pressures while strengthening their retirement savings. In this article, we unpack what the payment is, who qualifies, how much is involved, distinctions from past schemes, how the payment will be made, and what this means for workers in Singapore.

Singapore Govt Confirms Workfare Special Payment for December 2025-Overview 

Article on	Singapore Govt Confirms Workfare Special Payment for December 2025
Payment Name	Workfare Special Payment (Dec 2025)
Purpose	Extra year-end support for lower-wage Singaporean workers
Eligibility	Singapore citizens aged 30 and above, earning ≤ S$3,000/month
Payment Date	December 2025
Disbursement	Cash via PayNow/Bank + CPF credit for savings

What is the Workfare Special Payment?

The Workfare Special Payment for December 2025 represents an extra layer of support for eligible workers under the broader umbrella of the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) scheme. While WIS has been in place for many years to supplement wages and build up retirement savings for lower-wage Singapore Citizens, this special payment is designed to provide additional relief during a time of heightened expenses at the end of year.

It blends short-term cash support with long-term savings benefits, thereby addressing immediate cost-of-living pressures and encouraging continued engagement in the workforce.

Why now? The rationale behind the December 2025 payment

Several factors underscore the rationale:

• Rising cost of living: With inflation and year-end spending (festive, bonus, utility bills, etc.), lower-income workers often face disproportionate strain. The special payment seeks to alleviate some of that burden.
• Recognition of lower-wage contribution: The scheme reflects a policy stance that lower-wage workers are vital contributors to the economy and deserve support that acknowledges their efforts.
• Strengthening retirement adequacy: By combining cash and CPF savings aspects, the scheme helps workers not just today, but in building a more secure future. The WIS scheme itself “supplements the incomes and CPF savings of lower-wage Singaporean workers and encourages them to work regularly.”
• Encouraging workforce participation: Ensuring that workers remain employed, upskilled, and financially resilient is in line with broader national objectives of inclusive growth and an adaptive workforce.

Eligibility: Who qualifies?

To benefit from the Workfare Special Payment in December 2025, eligible workers must satisfy various criteria. While full official details will be released by CPF/MOM, the key eligibility criteria are as follows (according to available sources):

• Citizenship: Must be a Singapore citizen.
• Age: For this special payment, the qualifying minimum age is 30 years and above (and persons with disabilities qualify regardless of age).
• Income cap: Monthly average income must not exceed S$3,000 under the updated rules for work year 2025.
• CPF contributions / employment status: For employees, employers must be submitting CPF contributions. For self-employed persons (SEPs) or platform workers, they need to declare net trade income and make MediSave contributions.
• Property / household means test: Workers must live in a property with annual value (AV) not exceeding S$21,000 (from Work Year 2024 onward) and own no more than one property. Married applicants must ensure the spouse’s assessable income is within a defined threshold (e.g., S$70,000) and the couple together owns no more than one property.
• Active work: The worker must have worked in the assessment period; for employees, via CPF wage submissions; for SEPs, with income declaration done.
• No manual application: Because the scheme is administered automatically, workers just need to ensure that their employment/CPF records and bank details are up to date.

Final Thoughts 

The announcement of the Workfare Special Payment for December 2025 marks a meaningful step by the Singapore Government to bolster financial support for lower-wage workers at a critical time of year. With higher payout ceilings, broader eligibility, and a dual focus on immediate relief and long-term savings, the initiative enhances the established WIS scheme in significant ways. For workers who qualify, this means extra help heading into the year-end period and a stronger foundation for retirement savings.

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