Joint MND-HDB Press Release: Supporting Housing Needs of Unwed Parents to ensure that their children have a stable home to grow up in and a good start in life

At MND’s Committee of Supply debate today, Minister for National Development Mr Lawrence Wong announced various measures to make housing more accessible and to better support the diverse housing needs of all Singaporeans.

3     We are committed to supporting the efforts of our vulnerable groups, such as unwed parents, to ensure that their children have a stable home to grow up in, and a good start in life. Hence, unwed parents who approach HDB for housing assistance will not be turned away. We assess each request holistically and individually, because their circumstances vary.

4     Unwed parents aged 35 and above can purchase a 2-room Flexi flat in the non-mature estates or a resale flat if eligible. We have already been exercising flexibility on a case-by-case basis for unwed parents aged 21 and above (but below 35) years old to buy a 2-room Flexi flat in the non-mature estates or a resale flat. We are now prepared to also allow unwed parents aged 21 and above to buy a 3-room flat in a non-mature estate from HDB, compared to only a 2-room flat previously. Unwed parents can also continue to request to buy a resale flat. Those who cannot afford to buy any flat will be considered for public rental flat.

5     In all of this, we will safeguard the best interests of the child. As such, unwed parents should still approach HDB individually with their housing requests.