NDR 2026: 7 key takeaways - from family support and housing to Singapore’s future land plans

SINGAPORE: From more support for families to a possible undersea tunnel to Pulau Tekong, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong made several announcements in this year’s National Day Rally . He unveiled a slew of measures to help those looking to start families as well as couples with children. “No other institution can replace the family. That is why nothing matters more than helping families thrive,” he said. Here are seven key takeaways from his speeches. 1. Almost S$70,000 in support for each child Every Singaporean child will receive almost S$70,000 (US$55,140) in support from birth to the age of 17. A new SG Child Support Package kicks in on Apr 1, 2027, replacing the financial support currently provided through the Baby Bonus Scheme and Large Families Scheme. Children will get the same level of support regardless of their birth order, and kids in single-parent families will also enjoy the full benefits of the scheme. In the baby’s first year, there will be a S$10,000 cash gift and S$5,000 MediSave Grant for Newborns. Newborns also get a S$5,000 First Step Grant in the Child Development Account (CDA). From the age of one to 16, the government will co-match up to S$5,000 in CDA top-ups. The child will also get S$2,000 in Child Credits annually. Students receive Edusave contributions throughout primary and secondary school. When the child turns 17, a S$10,000 top-up will be made to the Post-Secondary Education Account. Large families with three or more children will get additional help in areas where they are likely to face higher costs, such as healthcare, transport and housing.

2. More childcare leave A new childcare leave scheme will give more time off to working parents with children aged 12 and below. Each parent will get eight days off if they have one child, 10 days if they have two children, and 12 days if they have three or more children. This is up from the current six days off a year if the parent has a child aged six and below, or two days a year if the child is between seven and 12 years old. The government will also reimburse employers for the costs of the full duration of statutory child-related leave, up to a limit of S$2,500 a week. Mr Wong urged employers to give parents more support and make sure that having children never becomes a disadvantage in someone’s career. The start date for these changes will be announced later.

3. Significantly lower childcare, infant care fees Monthly fees will drop to S$150 for full-day childcare and S$300 for full-day infant care at government-supported preschools. Currently, after basic subsidies, full-day childcare costs S$365 to S$559 a month, while full-day infant care costs S$746 to S$1,256 a month. The lower fees will kick in progressively from 2028 and reach the target levels by 2030. More preschools will join the network of government-supported centres so that more families can benefit from these lower fees. Student care centres in primary schools and the community will also get more support for larger capacities, higher quality of care and lower fees. “Every child in Singapore, regardless of their family’s circumstances, deserves a good start in life,” said Mr Wong.

4. Higher income ceiling for BTO flats Income ceilings will be raised for those who wish to buy a new Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat, get an HDB loan or obtain a Central Provident Fund Housing Grant for a resale flat. For Build-to-Order (BTO) flats, the ceiling for families will rise from S$14,000 to S$16,000. The ceiling for executive condominiums will go up from S$16,000 to S$18,000. Correspondingly, the income ceiling for eligible single HDB home buyers aged 35 and above will also be raised to S$8,000. This will kick in for those applying for an HDB Flat Eligibility letter from Aug 24. From February 2027, there will also be an additional ballot chance per Singaporean child. This is for first-timer families who have or are expecting children. "The more children you have, the more ballot chances you will receive – because we want to help these growing families secure a home sooner," said Mr Wong.

5. Islands to merge for industrial and power needs Semakau, Bukom and Pulau Sudong could be merged with other smaller islands into one larger island over the coming decades. This is similar to how Singapore merged several islands to create Jurong Island. The new island will house a new generation of industries, including advanced manufacturing and power infrastructure. Currently, Singapore's only landfill is located on Semakau, while the country’s first refinery sits in Bukom. Pulau Sudong has an airstrip that the Singapore Armed Forces uses during emergencies.

6. Possible undersea tunnel from mainland to Tekong Singapore is studying the feasibility of building an undersea tunnel from the mainland to Pulau Tekong instead of bridges that would cut across busy shipping channels. The island, which is used to train military recruits, has no land connection to the mainland. An undersea tunnel would be a major engineering undertaking, said Mr Wong, adding that it could bring Singapore’s outer islands much closer to the mainland. More land may be reclaimed to create additional military training space, and around 500ha would be available for future civilian use, he said.

7. Fewer curbs on dialect content Following recent discussions on the use of dialects sparked by Teochew film Dear You, the government will remove the cap on the number of dialect film screenings. Mr Wong said free-to-air broadcasts will continue to mostly use Mandarin, but there will be no limit on the number of screenings for dialect movies in cinemas as long as a Mandarin-dubbed version is available. The Ministry of Digital Development and Information also said restrictions on dialect content for subscription TV services will be removed. The updated guidelines take effect in September.