Written Answer by Ministry of National Development on Married Child Priority Scheme
Oct 10, 2016
Mr Liang Eng Hwa: To ask the Minister for National Development
(a) since the Married Child Priority Scheme (MCPS) was launched, how many buyers who applied for a BTO flat under the Scheme have been successful and unsuccessful in getting a flat respectively; and
(b) whether there is sufficient help for buyers to live near their parents for mutual care and support.
Answer:
The current quota-based Married Child Priority Scheme (MCPS) was implemented in end-2014. In 2015, about 1,600 applications for BTO flats in non-mature estates made under MCPS were successful. This translates to a success rate of about 85%. The success rate for BTO flats in mature estates under MCPS is lower at about 47%, given the high demand for and limited supply of such flats. Nonetheless, the success rates for MCPS applicants in both mature and non-mature estates are still higher than that for public applicants.
Helping families live near one another for mutual care and support has been a longstanding priority for the Government. Today, we set aside up to 45% of the public flat supply for MCPS applicants. If the demand still outstrips supply under the MCPS quota, unsuccessful MCPS applicants will also have another chance to ballot for a new flat with other public applicants.
Besides MCPS, HDB also has other schemes and policies to help families live with or near one another. These include:
(a) The Multi-Generation Priority Scheme, which gives priority to parents and married child who jointly apply for the same BTO project;
(b) The Three-Generation (3Gen) flats, which are purpose-built to cater to multi-generation living under one roof;
(c) Allowing parents or married child who are buying a resale flat to live with or near each other, to benefit from the Proximity Housing Grant of $20,000; and
(d) Setting the income ceiling for subsidized housing at a higher level for extended families who are buying a flat to live together.