The Business Times
business-time-50
SENSE & CENTS

Will S$70,000 per child entice couples to have kids? Worries over a dystopian future must be overcome

Confidence matters when couples decide whether to have children

Summarise
Leslie Yee

Leslie Yee

Published Tue, Sep 22, 2026 · 02:58 PM
阅读简体中文版 (beta)
    • Boosting the birth rate can brighten Singapore’s prospects.
    • Boosting the birth rate can brighten Singapore’s prospects. PHOTO: YEN MENG JIIN, BT

    MEASURES to support parenthood took centre stage at this year’s National Day Rally (NDR).

    Every Singaporean child will receive almost S$70,000 in direct financial support as they grow up. 

    In perspective, a sum of S$70,000 is over 12 times the median gross monthly income from employment (including employer/platform operator CPF contributions) of full-time employed residents of S$5,775 in 2025. 

    National Day Rally 2026National Day RallyFertilityBirth rateDemographicsSense & Cents

    TRENDING NOW

    UOB will be the first to announce its Q3 results on Nov 4, followed by DBS and OCBC on Nov 5 and 6, respectively.

    OCBC leads bank losses as STI slides 1.4%

    Sheng Siong reports a modest 1.9% year-on-year growth in Q3 net profit.

    Sheng Siong shares continue last week’s slide, fall over 9% to hit one-year low

    German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says Europe is facing “the most decisive moments... in defending the freedom and peace of (the) continent”.

    If Europe goes to war, the fallout will be felt in East Asia

    Yen appreciation can accelerate the unwinding of leveraged positions, illustrating how currency and financial stability risks can interact.

    Could Japan trigger the next global financial crisis?

    Latest T-bills Treasury Bills Results & Interest NewsLatest SSB Singapore Savings Bonds NewsLatest COE Certificate of Entitlement News
    Latest Johor-Singapore SEZ NewsLatest BTO Build To Order & Sales of Balance NewsLatest STI Straits Times Index NewsLatest SGX Dividends, Share Price NewsLatest Bonds Market NewsLatest Singapore Stocks To Buy NewsLatest Singapore Economy News
    View More