Creating a safe and purposeful environment for seniors to live their silver years continued to be a priority in 2025. There are now over 220 Active Ageing Centres (AAC) in Singapore, and policy initiatives like new Age Well SG neighbourhoods are well underway.
The PAP Seniors Group (PAPSG) continued championing the rights of seniors. Vice-Chairperson Dinesh Vasu Dash (East Coast GRC), spoke on protections for seniors who still wish to continue working.
From the backbench, PAP MPs spoke up strongly in Parliament about reimagining ageing as a time for building intergenerational connections.
Here are highlights of the PAP’s action for seniors during 2025:
Enhanced cost of living support
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong provided his vision of a caring society in the Budget 2025. Up to $800 worth of SG60 vouchers, and up to $850 in cash to all Singaporeans was given out in July to alleviate cost of living pressures. Singaporeans received a second trache of up to $600 in December.
Each household also received up to $580 of U-Save utility rebates over the year.
The well-loved CDC Vouchers made their comeback in a $500 July tranche; another $300 will come in January 2026, along with up to another $190 of U-Save rebates.
Source: Lawrence Wong / Facebook
PM Wong also announced imminent higher long-term care subsidies and grants, with more households covered. Existing subsidies for long-term care services will be increased by up to 15 per cent and the maximum qualifying per capita household income raised to $4,800, so that more senior Singaporeans will be covered.
Concurrently, the Home Caregiving Grant maximum increased to $600 per month, up from $400.
“We expect at least 80,000 seniors to benefit from the enhanced long-term care subsidies and grants, which will be implemented from next year,” said PM Wong.
Security for healthcare
At Government level, the Ministry of Health (MOH) focuses on preventive health efforts. Besides bringing up the number of AACs to 223 by March, MOH widened its programmes to meet the diverse interests of seniors; AACs now offer robotics and podcast production activities.
Daycare options for seniors are further expanding. The Shared Stay-in Senior Care Services was trialled in 2024 in a sandbox environment, with caregiving staff providing basic support with daily living tasks, meals, housekeeping, and social activities to a group of seniors living in the same residence.
With encoraging outcomes from the sandbox pilot, MOH will mainstream the service for Singaporeans.
From the backbench, PAP MPs spoke up consistently about seniors’ issues, on topics ranging from improving public education about Eldershield and CareShield Life to enhancing flu vaccination coverage for seniors.
MP for East Coast GRC Hazlina Abdul Halim called for the Government to do more for seniors, to ensure that those seniors living alone can age well and with dignity — reflecting the PAP’s long-time focus on care and security for the elderly.
The PAP Seniors Group is finding solutions for senior jobseekers
To battle age discrimination in employment, the PAPSG is advocating for seniors who choose to remain part of the workforce.
“It was indicated that employees want to work beyond the age of 50, but they found that employers are the ones who do not want to retain workers near the age of 70,” said PAPSG Vice-Chairperson Dinesh at the PAPSG’s October event The Active Ageing Journey: Living Well, Engaging Fully, discussing a major finding from a recent PAPSG survey.
The PAPSG survey also found that 30 per cent of respondents wanted further increases to Singapore’s retirement and reemployment ages. Another 10 per cent of respondents did not want any retirement and reemployment ages at all.
“This indicates that we should be doing further work with our employers,” added Vice-Chairperson Dinesh.
To better the situation, PAPSG is drafting a White Paper on Senior Employment to a tripartite group of workers, employers and the public sector.
The policy recommendations in the White Paper will guide long-term planning, and deliver better employment outcomes, for Singapore’s working seniors.
The PAPSG’s efforts for older workers complement the PAP Government’s landmark Workplace Fairness Bill in January and the Workplace Fairness (Dispute Resolution) Bill in November. Both these bills strengthen protections for Singapore’s older workers.
Find out more about the PAP Seniors Group’s mission and activities here.
