For many Singaporean families, employing a migrant domestic worker is what makes it possible to care for an ageing parent at home. To recognise this, the government offers a levy concession for eldercare, which lowers the monthly levy a household pays when a helper is employed to support the care of an eligible senior. This guide offers general information on how the concession works, who is broadly eligible, and where to get accurate details. It is not financial or legal advice, and because the levy amounts, eligibility, and rules are set by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and can change, you should always confirm the current position with MOM and the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC).
What the Levy Concession Is
Households that employ a migrant domestic worker normally pay a monthly foreign domestic worker levy to the government. The concession simply means that qualifying households pay a lower, concessionary rate of that levy instead of the full amount. The reduction is meant to ease the ongoing cost for families who need a helper to look after someone with genuine care needs, such as an elderly parent.
A few points help set expectations correctly:
- The concession reduces the levy; it is not a grant, a salary subsidy, or a payment to the family.
- It applies to the levy tied to employing the helper, not to the helper’s wages, food, or medical costs.
- The exact concessionary levy amount is set by MOM and can change, so you should check the current figure rather than rely on an amount you saw elsewhere.
In short, this is a targeted cost reduction for families whose helper is helping to care for a senior, rather than a broad handout. Because the numbers are set by the authorities, always verify the current levy and concession with MOM.
Who Is Generally Eligible
Eligibility for the levy concession is tied to having a person in the household who genuinely needs care, and the specific criteria are set by MOM. The points below describe the general shape of who tends to qualify, not a definitive rule, so confirm the current criteria with MOM and AIC before making decisions.
Broadly, a household may qualify where it employs a migrant domestic worker and there is a family member who fits a recognised category of care need. For eldercare, this commonly relates to:
- An elderly family member at or above a certain age, whom the helper is employed to help care for.
- A person who needs help with daily activities, where care needs are recognised through an appropriate process rather than self-declared.
- A qualifying relationship between the employer or household and the person being cared for, such as a parent, parent-in-law, or grandparent.
Because age thresholds, relationship rules, and how care needs are recognised are all set by the authorities and reviewed from time to time, treat these as general pointers only. The reliable way to know whether your household qualifies is to check with MOM, which administers the levy, and AIC, which supports caregiving needs.
How It Fits With Other Caregiving Support
The levy concession is one part of a broader set of measures that help families care for seniors at home, and it often works alongside others rather than on its own. Seeing how it compares helps you plan the full picture of support. The table below sets this out in general terms, and the specifics of each should be confirmed with the relevant body.
| Support | Broadly helps with | Confirm details with |
|---|---|---|
| Levy concession for eldercare | Paying a lower levy for a helper caring for a senior | MOM and AIC |
| Home Caregiving Grant | Ongoing costs of caring for a loved one at home | AIC |
| Seniors’ Mobility and Enabling Fund | Subsidising assistive devices and mobility aids | AIC |
| Home and community care services | Day care, home nursing, and personal care | AIC |
| MediSave and health-related schemes | Medical and health costs | CPF Board and MOH |
A single family may benefit from more than one of these at the same time, depending on their circumstances. AIC is well placed to help you map out which combination suits your loved one, while MOM handles the levy itself.
How to Apply and What to Prepare
The concession is generally applied to the levy for a qualifying household rather than paid out as a separate sum, and the practical steps are handled through the authorities that manage the levy and care assessments. Because the exact process can change, the best starting point is MOM’s guidance on the levy concession, together with AIC for anything relating to care needs and assessment.
To make the process smoother, it helps to have relevant documents ready, such as the senior’s identity and residency documents, proof of the family relationship, and any medical or care-needs assessment where required. If your loved one has recently been assessed at a hospital or polyclinic, a medical social worker can often explain how the concession and any assessment connect.
Remember that eligibility can differ between citizens and permanent residents, and that both the levy amount and the concession are set by MOM. Do not assume last year’s figures still apply. Verifying the current position before you budget avoids unpleasant surprises.
Using a Helper Well as Part of Care
A levy concession makes employing a helper more affordable, but the quality of care still depends on how the arrangement is set up and supported. A helper caring for an elderly person often takes on demanding work, from personal care to managing mobility and, at times, dementia-related behaviours, and they deserve fair treatment and proper support to do it well.
Practical steps that help both the senior and the helper include:
- Being clear about duties, so everyone understands what caring for the senior involves day to day.
- Providing training where needed, for tasks such as safe lifting, feeding, or managing specific conditions, which AIC and various providers can point families towards.
- Giving the helper adequate rest, recognising that caregiving is tiring and that a rested helper gives safer care.
- Keeping the family involved, rather than leaving all care decisions to the helper alone.
Treat this article as general information rather than the final word. The levy concession for eldercare can meaningfully lighten the cost of caring for a parent at home, but the amounts, eligibility, and process are set by MOM and AIC and change over time. For your family’s specific situation, defer to these official bodies, who can give you the current and accurate details.
Explore more
If you are weighing up the cost of care at home, read alongside the Home Caregiving Grant, which supports families caring for a loved one at home. Where a parent lives apart from the main caregiver, our guide to long-distance caregiving for elderly parents covers coordinating a helper and other support from a distance.