Government releases new measures to promote marriage

The measures on housing would see married couples with children under the age of 16 and who are buying Housing Development Board’s flats for the first time will get priority allocation of new flats. Married couples with children who are renting flats directly from the HDB will also be able to do so at affordable rates.

Concerning the cost of raising children, a bigger baby bonus cash gift of $6,000 will be given for the first two births and $8,000 for the third and fourth births. Right now, the baby bonus is $4,000 and $6,000 respectively. Every Singaporean baby will also get a Medisave account with $3,000 in it. MediShield will also be extended to cover congenital and neonatal conditions of babies.

For paternity leave, the Government will legislate one week of paid paternity leave for fathers. Fathers can also share one week of their wife's maternity leave entitlement.

For work-life measures, working mothers who adopt will get four weeks of government-paid adoption leave. Parents with children aged seven to 12 will get two days of childcare leave. In addition, there will be extended maternity protection to cover full term of pregnancy for those dismissed without sufficient cause.

The new measures concerning support for conception and delivery, the government will co-fund Assisted Reproduction Technology treatments from the current 50 per cent to 75 per cent. Delivery fees in public hospitals will be standardised. The package will cost the government about $2 billion a year, up from the $1.6 billion budget previously.