If you deliver food, drive for a ride-hail app or take jobs through another online platform, CPF has become part of your earnings. Under the Platform Workers Act, platform workers in Singapore now have CPF contributions made from their earnings, similar in principle to employees, with the platform operator paying a share too. For many young riders and drivers, CPF for platform workers is the first time they have had a regular retirement and housing savings stream.
This guide explains who is covered, how the contribution rates are phased in, what it means for your take-home pay and how to plan around it. It is general information, not financial advice. Rates and rules can change, so check the current details with the CPF Board and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).
What the Platform Workers Act Changed
Before the Act, most delivery riders and ride-hail drivers were treated as self-employed. They had no employer CPF contributions, and many only made MediSave contributions as self-employed persons, if at all. That left a large group of workers with little retirement savings and limited housing funds.
The Platform Workers Act, which took effect from 1 January 2025, recognises platform workers as a distinct group. They are not employees, but platform operators now have duties towards them, including:
- making CPF contributions for eligible platform workers, alongside the worker’s own share;
- providing work injury compensation coverage; and
- allowing platform workers to be represented by platform work associations.
The CPF part is what changes your monthly earnings most directly.
Who Must Contribute and Who Can Opt In
Whether CPF contributions are compulsory for you depends mainly on your age.
- Younger platform workers: if you were born on or after 1 January 1995, CPF contributions are mandatory. You do not need to do anything to sign up; the platform deducts your share and adds its own.
- Older platform workers: if you were born before 1995, you can choose to opt in. The idea is that older workers, who may have planned their finances around the old arrangement, get a choice. Opting in is generally a one-time decision that cannot be reversed, so think it through before you do it.
The Act applies to Singapore citizens and permanent residents doing platform work. It covers platform work that is arranged and controlled by the platform, such as ride-hail and delivery. Check MOM’s website if you are unsure whether your type of gig counts.
If you work for more than one platform, each platform contributes based on your earnings with it.
How the Contribution Rates Phase In
The government knew that suddenly deducting full employee-level CPF would cut take-home pay and push up costs for platforms. So contribution rates are being raised gradually over several years, starting in 2025, until they reach the same levels as employee CPF contribution rates.
How it works in practice:
- Contributions are calculated on your net platform earnings, after the platform’s commission and fees.
- Both you and the platform operator contribute. Each year of the phase-in, the rates step up.
- Like employees, the rates you pay also depend on your age band, with lower rates for older workers.
- The money goes into your CPF accounts: the Ordinary Account for housing and other approved uses, the Special Account (or Retirement Account if you are older) for retirement, and MediSave for healthcare.
The exact percentages for each year are published by the CPF Board and MOM. Check them directly, as they will change during the phase-in.
What Happens to Your Take-Home Pay
Your take-home pay goes down when your own share is deducted, but your total savings go up. Here is how the parts compare.
| Item | Before the Platform Workers Act | Under the Platform Workers Act |
|---|---|---|
| Your cash earnings | Received in full, minus platform fees | Your CPF share is deducted before payout |
| Platform contribution | None | Platform adds its own CPF share on top |
| MediSave | Often paid separately as a self-employed person | Built into the CPF contribution |
| Retirement savings | Depended entirely on you | Builds up automatically each month |
| Housing funds | Little or nothing in the Ordinary Account | Ordinary Account grows over time |
To soften the impact during the phase-in, the government introduced the Platform Workers CPF Transition Support, which offsets part of the increase in the worker’s own contributions for lower-income platform workers. Eligibility and amounts are set by the government, so check the current criteria on official sites. Support is typically paid automatically if you qualify.
Some platforms may also adjust their fares or pay structure in response. Look at your app’s earnings breakdown each month so you understand what is being deducted and why.
Why CPF Matters More Than It First Seems
When you are in your twenties, it is easy to see CPF as money you cannot touch. But it does real work:
- Housing: Ordinary Account savings can help pay for an HDB flat. Without employer contributions, many platform workers previously struggled to qualify for or service a housing loan.
- Healthcare: MediSave pays for hospitalisation, some outpatient treatments and MediShield Life premiums.
- Retirement: CPF savings earn interest set by the government, and compounding over decades makes early contributions especially valuable.
- Loan applications: a steady CPF contribution history can help show regular income when you apply for a flat or financing.
To see how your money is split and growing, log in to the CPF website or app with Singpass. Our guide to understanding your CPF statement and contributions explains how to read it.
Practical Steps for Riders and Drivers
A few habits will help you make the most of the new system:
- Check your payout slips. Make sure CPF deductions appear and match what you expect for your age and the current year’s rates.
- Log in to CPF regularly. Confirm that contributions from each platform are reaching your account.
- Budget on take-home pay, not gross earnings. As rates step up each year, plan for slightly lower cash payouts.
- Keep records if you have other income. If you also do non-platform freelance work, you may still need to make MediSave contributions as a self-employed person on that income. See our guide on what self-employed people need to know about CPF.
- Think about protection too. CPF does not replace insurance. Our guide to insurance for gig and platform workers covers income protection and accident cover.
- Ask for help if you are unsure. The CPF Board and MOM both have help pages on the Platform Workers Act, and platform work associations can also give guidance.
- Declare your income for tax. Platform earnings are still taxable income, and you should report them to IRAS during the annual filing season.
CPF for platform workers means slightly smaller payouts today in exchange for real savings for housing, healthcare and retirement. Understanding how the phase-in works will help you plan your monthly budget with fewer surprises.
Explore more: CPF Contributions Explained in Singapore
Official sources: CPF Board