The childcare subsidy in Singapore has two parts. Every Singapore Citizen child in a licensed infant care or childcare centre gets a Basic Subsidy, which is S$600 a month for full-day infant care and $300 for full-day childcare when the mother works. Families with household income of $12,000 or less can also get an Additional Subsidy of up to $710 and $467.
Two changes are coming: higher income thresholds from 1 January 2027, and, announced at the 2026 National Day Rally, much lower fees at government-supported preschools from 2028. This guide covers today’s amounts, worked examples and what changes.
The short version: If the mother works at least 56 hours a month, expect at least $600 off infant care and $300 off childcare each month, more if household income is $12,000 or less. Pay the rest from the CDA where you can.
Childcare Subsidy in Singapore: The Amounts
From ECDA’s subsidy overview, for a Singapore Citizen child in a full-day programme:
| Programme | Working mother: Basic | Working mother: Additional | Non-working mother: Basic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant care (2 to 18 months) | $600 | Up to $710 | $150 |
| Childcare (18 months to 6 years) | $300 | Up to $467 | $150 |
The subsidy is paid directly to the centre; you pay the fee net of subsidy. Your child must attend at least one day in a month to get that month’s subsidy.
Who Gets the Additional Subsidy
ECDA sets two conditions:
- the main applicant (the mother, or a single father) is working at the time of application, meaning at least 56 hours a month, including part-time and freelance work; and
- gross monthly household income is $12,000 or less, or per capita income is $3,000 or less for households of five or more related people at the same address.
From 1 January 2027, those limits rise to $15,000 household income and $3,400 per capita income, according to ECDA.
The exact Additional Subsidy depends on your income tier, the programme and the fee. Search for centres on LifeSG with Singpass to see estimated fees after subsidies.
If the Mother Is Not Working
- Lower-income families: since 9 December 2024, families with a child in childcare and household income of $6,000 or less (or per capita income of $1,500 or less) get full childcare subsidies regardless of working status. From 1 January 2027 this rises to $7,500 and $1,700.
- Special Approval: mothers not working because they are looking for a job, studying or training at least 56 hours a month, pregnant, medically unfit, caring for a child with special needs, a sick family member or a younger child aged 24 months and below who is not in preschool can apply for time-limited higher subsidies.
Worked Examples
Lower-income household. ECDA’s own example: a working mother with household income of $3,000 or less and a child in full-day childcare gets $300 Basic and up to $467 Additional, $767 in total. On a $740 fee, she pays the $3 minimum co-payment for her tier, and the subsidy is $737.
Household above $12,000. Our own illustration: a working mother, household income $14,000, childcare fee $800 a month. She gets the $300 Basic Subsidy and pays $500 a month. From 1 January 2027, with the threshold at $15,000, the family may qualify for some Additional Subsidy too.
Infant care. Our own illustration: an infant care fee of $1,400, working mother, household income above the Additional Subsidy limit. Net fee after the $600 Basic Subsidy: $800 a month. This is the figure we use in our guide to the cost of having a baby.
Paying the Rest From the CDA
Childcare centres and kindergartens are Approved Institutions, so registration fees, programme fees and deposits can be paid from your child’s Child Development Account, according to LifeSG. The First Step Grant and government co-matching can therefore cover a large share of net fees in the early years. Our CDA guide explains co-matching and the 2027 cap change.
What Changes From 2028
At the 2026 National Day Rally, the government announced that full-day fees at government-supported preschools will fall to $150 a month for childcare and $300 for infant care, before means-testing, rolled out progressively from 2028 and reaching those levels by 2030, according to Made For Families. Full subsidies will also extend to families with Singapore Citizen children regardless of the main applicant’s working status. Details are due in early 2027. Our news story on preschool fee cuts has more.
What To Do Next
- Check your household income tier and your working hours against ECDA’s conditions.
- Compare net fees for centres near home or work on LifeSG.
- Set up CDA payment for the net fees with the centre.
- Budget the net fee in our budget planner, and recheck in January 2027 when the thresholds rise.
