Lower-income union members with caregiving needs to get $5.4M boost from NTUC

NTUC announced on 13 November 2024 that it would invest $5.4 million into two new assistance programmes to help lower-income union members in Singapore manage their caregiving responsibilities.

The initiative, which will run from 2025 to 2027, comes after NTUC’s year-long #EveryWorkerMatters Conversations in 2023 revealed that balancing work and family care was a top concern among the 42,000 workers engaged nationwide.

The funding aims to alleviate financial pressures faced by workers who juggle caregiving duties with their careers. NTUC added that specific programme details will be announced later.

“NTUC has consistently advocated for better lives and livelihoods for workers from all walks of life. They often find themselves in a double bind – caring for their loved ones while balancing the demands of their jobs,” said NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng.

He added that NTUC hopes the programmes will lighten their load and enable them to fulfil their caregiving duties better.

Over a decade of supporting workers’ needs

Since its establishment in 2009, the NTUC-U Care Fund has distributed $136 million to support workers through various assistance programmes.

In 2024 alone, the fund has raised $7.2 million and reached over 10,000 union members and their families through targeted initiatives.

Current assistance schemes include the NTUC Care Fund (e-Vouchers) programme, which has set aside over $2 million to help approximately 10,000 lower-income union members stretch their dollar.

Eligible members can apply for the NTUC Care Fund (e-Vouchers) programme from mid-November to mid-December 2024.

The fund also provides education support through its NTUC Care Fund (Education Awards), with $700,000 allocated to benefit 3,500 youth and school-going children from lower-income families.

For youths facing sudden adversity, the NTUC Care Fund (Youth Enable) grant provides continuous support to help them complete their studies at Institutes of Higher Learning.

The NTUC-U Care Fund has also recognised emerging needs in the gig economy through the NTUC Care Fund (Work Injury Relief), which provides $250 worth of NTUC FairPrice vouchers to eligible freelance point-to-point and delivery workers who sustain injuries during work.

Beyond financial assistance, the fund partners with social enterprises to provide recreational support.

Upcoming initiatives include the Empowering Dreams Programme at Sentosa for 100 beneficiaries and their families, and the Family Fun Fiesta 2024, which will host up to 4,000 beneficiaries at Downtown East with complimentary activities including Wild Wild Wet admission and movie screenings.

Mr Leng Say Boon, one of the beneficiaries of the NTUC-U Care Fund, is a single caregiver to his two young children.

Making a real difference

Leng Say Boon, a single father of two young children and a beneficiary of NTUC’s assistance programmes, said: “As a single caregiver, it has been a struggle managing expenses while taking care of my children.

“I'm grateful for the assistance provided by U Care Fund, which has gone a long way to help with extra costs and support my children’s well-being.”

Another beneficiary, Desmond Tan, highlighted how the education award has helped him, particularly as a parent of a child with special needs.

“The NTUC-U Care Fund has been very helpful in easing the financial burden of education costs for my three children, allowing us to invest more in their future,” he said.