Singapore’s Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) will launch two pilot programs to support persons with disabilities in living independently, reports The Straits Times.
The Enabled Living Programme (ELP) and Home Support Programme (HSP) aim to assist persons with disabilities with low to moderate support needs, providing alternatives to institutionalization when caregiver support is unavailable.
The ELP will allow eligible persons with disabilities to live in public rental flats, starting in the second half of 2025. These flats will offer on-site services such as coaching for independent living and social skills, financial assistance, and ongoing monitoring. Up to 250 persons with disabilities will participate in this pilot by 2028.
The HSP, set to begin in 2026, will provide visiting services for starting in the second half of 2025, living with ageing caregivers. Services include monitoring, coaching for independent living, and future care planning. Senior Parliamentary Secretary Eric Chua emphasized that these initiatives aim to prevent unnecessary institutionalization. “Without other options, they may end up institutionalized,” he said.
Both programs will be subsidized on a means-tested basis. These efforts reflect Singapore’s broader push to encourage persons with disabilities to live within the community for as long as possible while enhancing their quality of life.
