Singapore Encourages Births by Granting $55,000 Support per Child in Installments Until Age 17

Singapore has announced an expanded package of support for families, providing each Singaporean child with approximately S$70,000 (around US$55,000) in installments from birth until age 17, in an effort to ease the burden of child-rearing amid a record low fertility rate.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong clarified during his annual address that the support is not paid as a lump sum. Instead, it includes a S$10,000 baby bonus, contributions to health, development, and education accounts, annual child credits, and additional support upon reaching age 17.

The measures come after Singapore’s fertility rate fell to 0.87 children per woman in 2025, down from 0.97 the previous year, according to official data—a level far below the replacement rate of approximately 2.1.

The policy also expands childcare support and family-friendly facilities. Wong acknowledged that incentives alone may not be sufficient to reverse the demographic trend, underscoring the continued role of immigration in sustaining the population.