Q1) Is the CPF Housing Grant Scheme applicable to DBSS applicants?
A1) Yes, eligible applicants can apply for a CPF Housing Grant. The types of CPF Housing Grant that are available for DBSS applicants are as follows:-
(a) CPF Housing Grant for Family [$30,000];
(b) CPF Housing Grant for Family (Living Near Parents/Married Child) [$40,000];
(c) CPF Housing Grant for Singles [$11,000];
(d) CPF Housing Grant for Singles (Living With Parents) [$20,000];
(e) CPF Housing Top-up Grant [Difference between prevailing Family or Higher-Tier Grant and Singles Grant(s) previously given to couple]; and
(f) Additional CPF Housing Grant [$5,000 to $40,000]
(g) Half-Housing Grant [$15,000/$20,000]
For more information, please refer to the application forms for the respective CPF Housing Grants. Please submit your Application Form for CPF Housing Grant when you book the DBSS flat from the Developer.
Q2) Who are eligible for the CPF Housing Grant?
A2) Generally, you must be a Singapore Citizen who has not previously enjoyed any housing subsidy, with an eligible family nucleus and meet all the prevailing eligibility conditions for buying a flat direct from HDB.
Please refer to the application forms for the respective CPF Housing Grants for more details on the conditions applicable.
Q3) What will render me ineligible for the CPF Housing Grant?
A3) To be eligible for the CPF Housing Grant, the applicant and all the essential family members listed in the application to buy a DBSS flat must not:
(a) be the owners of a flat bought direct from HDB; or
(b) have sold a flat bought direct from HDB; or
(c) have received the CPF Housing Grant for their purchase of an Executive Condominium unit, DBSS flat or an HDB resale flat; or
(d) have transferred at market value a flat bought direct from HDB or an HDB resale flat bought under the CPF Housing Grant Scheme; or
(e) have ever enjoyed other forms of housing subsidy such as enjoyed SERS benefits or privatisation of HUDC estate
Q4) What is an eligible family nucleus for the purpose of applying for the CPF Housing Grant for Family?
A4) The CPF Housing Grant for Family will only be given to eligible applicants with a family nucleus comprising of one of the following:
(a) married couple;
(b) fiancé and fiancée (applicants must produce their marriage certificate before they take possession of the DBSS flat); or
(c) widowed/divorced person with child/children under his/her legal custody.
Q5) My parents’ HDB flat is within the same town as the DBSS project. Can I apply for the “higher-tier” grant if I wish to live near my parents/parents-in-law? Can I also apply for the Married Child Priority Scheme (MCPS) if I am applying for the Higher-Tier Grant?
A5) Yes, you can request for both MCPS and the higher-tier CPF Housing Grant for Family (Living Near Parents/Married Child) when you apply for DBSS, so long as you are able to meet the conditions of both schemes.
Note: The CPF Housing Grant for Family (Living Near Parents/Married Child) of $40,000 can be given to *married applicants upon request, if they buy a DBSS flat to live with or near to their parents.
Generally, the conditions for the CPF Housing Grant for Family (Living Near Parents/Married Child) of $40,000 are as follows:
(i) the applicants are applying for a DBSS flat located in the same town as their parents or married child, who are lessees, tenants or occupiers of an HDB flat; or
(ii) the applicants’ parents or married child’s existing housing block is within 2 km from the nearest block offered in the DBSS development applied for; or
(iii) the applicants’ parents or married child own and occupy private property that is located in the same town or within 2 km from the nearest block offered in the DBSS development applied for; or
(iv) the applicants’ parents or married child will be living with them in the DBSS flat to be bought and will be included in the application.
*Applicants under the Fiancé/Fiancée Scheme can also request their application to be processed under the CPF Housing Grant for Family (Living Near Parents/Married Child) Scheme if they are applying to live near/with their parents. However, they must produce their marriage certificate before they take possession of their flat.
Q6) I am single and wish to buy a DBSS flat with my parents listed as occupiers in my application under the Public Scheme. Can I qualify for the CPF Housing grant for Singles?
A6) If you and your parents have not enjoyed any form of housing subsidy and you are at least 35 years old, you can request for the $20,000 CPF Housing Grant for Singles (Living with parents).
Q7) Can two or more related single family members qualify to buy a DBSS flat? If so, can they request for the CPF Housing Grant?
A7) Single Citizens who are orphans can form a family nucleus with their siblings under the Orphans Scheme. To qualify for the CPF Housing Grant for Singles, the applicants must not have enjoyed any housing subsidy before. In addition, the recipient must be at least 35 years old. The CPF Housing Grant for Singles is limited to only 1 grant per household for application submitted under the Public Scheme or Orphans Scheme.
Q8) I have an HDB flat bought with the Singles Grant. I recently got married and my spouse is a Singapore Citizen who has never enjoyed any form of housing subsidy. Can I apply for the Top-up Grant for the purchase of a DBSS flat?
A8) Yes, you can apply for the CPF Housing Top-up Grant for your DBSS flat purchase within six months from the date of registration of your marriage.
Q9) I have just joined the workforce recently. My fiancée and I have a combined monthly income of less than $5,000. Can we apply for the Additional CPF Housing Grant (AHG) when we buy a DBSS flat?
A9) The Additional CPF Housing Grant (AHG) is meant to help families who need some financial assistance to own homes. It will be given on top of the existing housing subsidies for the purchase of HDB flats and DBSS flats.
You can apply for the AHG provided you meet the relevant conditions. For example, you or your fiancée must be in continuous employment for one year prior to your flat application (documentary proof of this must be produced). Both of you would also need to satisfy all other conditions to qualify for the grant, for example, not owning any private property.
Q10) How do I apply for the CPF Housing Grant?
A10) You must complete and sign the Application Form for CPF Housing Grant and submit it together with all your supporting documents for example, payslips and marriage certificate to the Developer when you book a DBSS flat with them. The supporting documents that are required can be found in the DBSS brochure on Application Procedures/Terms and Conditions
as well as the Application Form for CPF Housing Grant. The Application Form for CPF Housing Grant is available from the developer or at their show apartment office at the site of the development.
If you did not bring all the supporting documents required, please submit the outstanding ones within one week from date of booking. If the full set of supporting documents are not received as required within the one-week deadline, HDB will not be able to process your application for the CPF Housing Grant in time for the downpayment.
All grant applications must be submitted to HDB before you sign the Sale and Purchase Agreement with the Developer. If you have already signed the Sale and Purchase Agreement with the Developer, you will not be eligible for the CPF Housing Grant.
Q11) How will the CPF Housing Grant be given and can I use it as downpayment for my DBSS flat?
A11) If you are eligible for the CPF Housing Grant, it will be credited into your CPF account as part of your CPF funds. You can use the grant to pay the CPF portion of the downpayment at the time of signing the Sale and Purchase Agreement and after you have paid the 5% cash payment. However, further CPF, if any, can only be released after you have paid all the cash difference.
To ensure that the CPF Housing Grant is available for your use, please complete and submit the CPF withdrawal form to CPF Board for their processing upon your booking of a DBSS flat. If you have appointed solicitors to act for you, your appointed solicitors will arrange for you to complete the CPF withdrawal form and send it to CPF Board for processing.
Q12) How will the CPF Housing Grant be given if there are co-applicants buying the DBSS flat?
A12) For eligible applicant/co-applicant who are husband and wife and are Singapore Citizens, the CPF Housing Grant will be divided equally and credited into their CPF accounts accordingly. If not, the CPF Housing Grant will only be credited into the CPF account of the applicant who is a Singapore Citizen.
Q13) How will the CPF Housing Grant be treated if I do not complete the purchase of the DBSS flat, for example, if I do not sign the Sale and Purchase Agreement?
A13) You must return the CPF Housing Grant with accrued interest to the Government if you do not proceed to sign the Sale and Purchase Agreement or if you are found to be not eligible for the CPF Housing Grant or to buy the DBSS flat.
Q14) Do I need to return the CPF Housing Grant if I cancel my purchase of the DBSS flat after I have signed the Sale and Purchase Agreement?
A14) Yes if you have:-
(a) bought the DBSS flat with your spouse under the Public Scheme with the CPF Housing Grant and subsequently annul your marriage; or
(b) bought the DBSS flat with your fiancé/fiancée under the Fiancé/Fiancée Scheme with the CPF Housing Grant and are unable to produce the marriage certificate as required under the Fiancé/Fiancée scheme, you and your ex-spouse or ex-fiancé/ex-fiancée will be required to return the CPF Housing Grant together with accrued interest. Any shortfall has to be repaid in cash. If the full amount cannot be recovered at that juncture, the outstanding amount will be treated as a debt owed to the Government. Both of you will also not be eligible to rent/buy or take over the ownership of another HDB flat, DBSS flat or Executive Condominium unit until you have paid up this debt in full (with interest). Please refer to the relevant CPF Housing Grant Form for more details.
Q15) Am I eligible for the CPF Housing Grant if I apply to buy a DBSS flat where the Temporary Occupation Permit for the DBSS flat has been obtained?
A15) Yes, you will be eligible for the CPF Housing Grant if you satisfy the conditions for receipt of the grant and you have not signed the Sale and Purchase Agreement with the Developer yet.
Q16) When I sell my DBSS flat in the open market in future, do I need to refund the CPF Housing Grant to the Government?
A16) When you dispose of your DBSS flat, you are required to refund all the CPF monies including the CPF Housing Grant which had been withdrawn for the purchase of the DBSS flat to your CPF account. Please note that the CPF monies returned to your CPF account can be used in accordance with the prevailing CPF laws and policies.
