New Scheme--Workfare!

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Workfare

This article discusses the workfare bonus scheme that was introduced last year. It touches on the many benefits the scheme has brought and will continue to bring to lower income families.

The Government is depicted in this article to be highly sensitive to the needs of the needy and the scheme is a response to the widening income divide occurring in Singapore. This scheme provides extra bonus to the poor once every few months. This Workfare scheme is extremely important for workers who are tight on cash. As we all know, the GST hike will be implemented soon and this workfare will help to cushion the financial burden stemming from the GST increase. As we all know, an increase in tax on goods and services always leaves the lower income groups hardest hit.

Although this scheme does not occur on a monthly basis, it does help to relieve the financial stress for these lower income families. One very special point to note is that this scheme comes with a criterion that one must be employed in order to benefit from the Workfare scheme. This is an incentive for people to stay employed, no matter what the jobs are or how old they are. Once again, it is indicative of the Government’s policy to promote some level of self-reliance and prevent citizens from looking for financial and social crutches from the state. Besides, older citizens are encouraged to remain in the workforce while the young are encouraged not to be too picky with jobs.

Madam Tan Ah Cheung, who is a 76-year-old coffee shop assistant, gets the Workfare bonus as well. Despite her age, she still works and helps out in the family finances. As such, the family is definitely more closely bonded too.

However, some might become over-reliant on this Workfare bonus. As this scheme comes under the scrutiny of this year’s Budget day, I am sure that answers as to the cut off for eligibility of the Workfare will become a point of contention.

Yet, there are people who are unable to enjoy Workfare just because they do not have a job. Some of these jobless people are unable to find a job not because they are lazy but may have too low qualifications or may be disabled. As such, they will not get to enjoy these benefits.

The Government may help to seek out these people and assign them simple jobs. However, I understand that it may require a large amount of human resource to do so, especially when some will not want to approach for help themselves.

I may not understand how the Government works, but I do empathise with those that cannot meet these criteria for the Workfare bonus.

Furthermore, I find it somewhat uncanny that this article on helping the lower income earners has been released just before the Government’s budget announcements including details of the GST increase. The article clearly has public relations motives.