NTUC Enhances NTUC Care Fund (COVID-19) to Help More Workers in Need

NTUC will reopen its applications for the NTUC Care Fund (COVID-19) as workers continue to be affected by COVID-19's impact on the economy.

The enhanced eligibility criteria for the enhanced NTUC Care Fund (COVID-19) will provide cash relief of up to $300 for impacted union members.

NTUC made the announcement in a release on 19 November 2020.

Some 65,000 union members stand to benefit from the enhanced eligibility criteria. The number includes both new applicants who meet the enhanced eligibility criteria and applicants of the previous exercise that ran from 25 March–30 September 2020.

About 30,000 union members have benefitted from the first NTUC Care Fund (COVID-19) exercise, with a total payout of $8 million.

NTUC said that it expects to pay out a further $17 million with the enhanced criteria.

Enhanced Eligibility Criteria

The enhanced NTUC Care Fund (COVID-19) applies to union members whose last drawn salary did not exceed $4,500 gross monthly personal Income (GPI) for those with dependants staying in the same household in Singapore.

For those without dependants staying in the same household in Singapore, GPI should not exceed $1,600.

The salary criteria were previously $3,400 GPI for those with dependants and $1,500 for those without dependants.

Union members must also find themselves in one of these following situations to be eligible:

1. Have lost their jobs due to COVID-19 related retrenchment or termination/non-renewal of employment contract.
2. Are suffering from an income drop of at least 30 per cent due to COVID-19.
3. Are self-employed persons whose earnings have been affected due to COVID-19 related job or event cancellations.

Eligible union members will receive between $50 to $300 of one-off cash relief.

Union members who previously did not qualify for the first round of NTUC Care Fund (COVID-19), but who fulfil the new qualifying criteria, can apply at www.ntuc.org.sg/carefundcovid from 23 November 2020 to 28 February 2021.

Successful applicants from the first exercise are eligible for a second payout, provided their union membership is still valid.

They will be notified via SMS and will receive their second round of payouts by early December 2020.

(Download the infographic below for more details.)

Commenting on the enhanced NTUC Care Fund (COVID-19), NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng said: “NTUC aims to provide holistic care and support for our union members. In particular, we want to help those whose incomes have been impacted by COVID-19 by providing them with some cash relief to tide over their daily expenses. This is why we are enhancing the NTUC Care Fund (COVID-19) so that more members can receive the help that they need especially during this year-end period.”

NTUC Back to School Fair

NTUC also announced that the Back to School Fair will return this year to help NTUC union members stretch the dollar on their children’s needs for the new school year.

Members will receive a range of exclusive promotions and discounts on school-related items at the fair.

NTUC will provide members with time to make their online purchases. The fair will take place virtually over a period of one month on the following dates:  

• 7 December 2020 to 13 December 2020: Open to beneficiaries of NTUC Care Fund (e-Vouchers) – with special offers and promotions
• 14 December 2020 to 7 January 2021: Open to all NTUC union members as well as NTUC FairPrice Share-A-Textbook priority letter holders.

“We are also bringing back the NTUC Back to School Fair, to extend further assistance for families by helping them stretch their dollar on their children’s needs for the new school year. Together with job and employment support that we continue to offer members, I am certain we can all emerge stronger out of this crisis, towards the new normal,” added Mr Ng.

More details on NTUC Back to School Fair will be available at bit.ly/ntucbtsfair and www.facebook.com/ucare.sg by 7 December 2020.