A CPF housing grant is government money paid into your CPF Ordinary Account (OA) to help you buy an HDB flat. In 2026, eligible first-timer families can receive up to S$120,000 for a new flat, or up to $230,000 across three grants for a resale flat.
The amounts get the attention. The detail that matters later is that the grant is treated as your CPF money. When you sell, it goes back into your CPF account with interest.
The Main CPF Housing Grants in 2026
Three grants make up almost all of the support, according to HDB’s grants guide.
| Grant | For | First-timer families | First-timer singles | Monthly income ceiling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (EHG) | New and resale flats | Up to $120,000 | Up to $60,000 | $9,000 (families), $4,500 (singles) |
| CPF Housing Grant for resale flats | Resale, 2-room to 4-room | Up to $80,000 | Up to $40,000 | $16,000 (families), $8,000 (singles) |
| CPF Housing Grant for resale flats | Resale, 5-room or bigger | Up to $50,000 | Up to $25,000 | Same as above |
| Proximity Housing Grant (PHG) | Resale only | $30,000 to live with parents or child, $20,000 to live within 4km | $15,000 to live with, $10,000 to live near | None |
For a new flat from HDB, the EHG is the only grant. For a resale flat, the three can be combined, which is how the $230,000 maximum for families and $115,000 for singles is reached.
The $16,000 and $8,000 ceilings were raised from $14,000 and $7,000. They apply to HDB Flat Eligibility (HFE) letter applications from 24 August 2026.
Enhanced CPF Housing Grant
The EHG is tied to income. The lower the household income, the larger the grant, up to the maximum. CPF Board’s guide lists the main conditions:
- Household income of not more than $9,000 a month for families, averaged over the 12 months before the application.
- The buyer or spouse must have worked continuously for 12 months before the flat application, and still be working when applying.
- The flat’s remaining lease must cover the youngest buyer to age 95. If not, the grant is pro-rated.
- Where a first-timer buys with a second-timer, the income ceiling is halved to $4,500.
For a resale flat, you must first qualify for the CPF Housing Grant before you can be considered for the EHG.
Proximity Housing Grant
The PHG rewards living with or near family, and has no income ceiling. The parents or child must be Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents.
To “live with” them, they must be listed in the flat application and stay there through the Minimum Occupation Period. To “live near” them, they must live within 4km of the resale flat for that period.
Second-Timers
Most grants are for first-timers. HDB also has a Step-Up CPF Housing Grant of $15,000 for eligible second-timer families moving to a 2-room or 3-room flat. The conditions are narrow, so check HDB’s eligibility pages.
Your HFE letter states the grants and amounts you qualify for. It is the figure to rely on, not a table.
The Grant Goes Into Your CPF OA
A housing grant is not cash. It is credited to the OA of the eligible buyers and used towards the flat.
In practice, this lowers the amount you need to borrow or pay from your own savings. A couple buying a $450,000 new flat with a $60,000 EHG needs to fund $390,000 from CPF, cash and the loan.
Because the grant sits in your OA, it becomes part of the CPF used for the property. That has one large consequence.
What Happens to the Grant When You Sell
CPF Board is direct on this. When you sell, you must refund the CPF principal withdrawn for the property, including the CPF housing grant, plus accrued interest.
Accrued interest is the interest the money would have earned had it stayed in your OA, at 2.5% a year at present.
Take an illustrative couple who receive $80,000 in grants.
- After 10 years at 2.5%, the refund for the grant alone is about $102,400. Of that, $22,400 is accrued interest.
- After 20 years, it is about $131,100.
This is an illustration only. It assumes a constant 2.5% OA rate.
Three points keep this in proportion.
The money returns to you. It goes into your own CPF account, not back to the Government. You can use it for your next home, or for retirement.
Where it lands can differ. CPF Board says the grant is generally refunded to your OA. If you received more than $30,000 in grants, part may go to your Special or Retirement Account and your MediSave. Money there cannot be used for the next home.
It reduces your cash proceeds. A larger CPF refund means less cash in hand at completion. If the flat is sold at market value and the proceeds cannot cover the full refund, CPF Board does not require you to top up the shortfall in cash.
The short version: A CPF housing grant is paid into your OA, not your bank account. When you sell, the grant and its accrued interest go back into your CPF, which reduces your cash proceeds but not your wealth.
Common Misunderstandings
“The grant is free money I can spend.” It can only go towards the flat. Its value shows up as a smaller loan.
“I lose the grant when I sell.” You do not lose it. It moves from the flat back into your CPF, with interest.
“A bigger grant always means a better deal.” A resale flat can attract more grants, but the price is set by the market. Compare the price after grants, not the size of the grant.
“The grant has no strings.” Each grant has conditions that last beyond the purchase. The Proximity Housing Grant, for example, requires your parents or child to keep living with or near you through the Minimum Occupation Period.
What To Do Next
- Apply for an HFE letter on the HDB Flat Portal. It confirms your grants, loan eligibility and income assessment in one document.
- Work out the price after grants, then test it with our home affordability calculator.
- If you are selling a flat bought with grants, estimate the refund with the accrued interest calculator and your cash proceeds with the HDB sale proceeds calculator.
- Read how much CPF you can use for housing and our guide to accrued interest when selling a flat.
