Single parent benefits in Singapore: leave, Baby Bonus, CDA, tax and housing for unwed and single parents, in one checklist

Single parent benefits in Singapore mostly follow the child, not the marriage. The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) says benefits that support a child's growth are "extended to every Singapore citizen child, regardless of their parents' marital status": childcare and infant care subsidies, healthcare subsidies, the MediSave Grant for Newborns, the Child Development Account (CDA) First Step Grant and co-matching, and the migrant domestic worker levy concession. An unwed mother gets 16 weeks of Government-Paid Maternity Leave, and single parents get childcare leave. A few benefits still depend on marriage. The Baby Bonus Cash Gift needs parents who are lawfully married, the father's paternity leave needs him to be married to the mother, at the latest within 12 months of the birth, and the Parenthood Tax Rebate and Working Mother's Child Relief are for married, divorced or widowed parents. From April 2027, the new SG Child Support Package covers every Singapore citizen child aged 17 and below, including a S$10,000 Baby Gift for births from 1 April 2027.

The checklist: what unwed parents get

Read on 11 October 2026 from MSF, MOM, IRAS, HDB, ECDA and LifeSG. "Unwed" here means never married; divorced and widowed parents qualify for some things that unwed parents don't.

Leave for unwed parents

MOM says a single or unmarried mother "is entitled up to 16 weeks of maternity leave" if she meets the usual criteria: a Singapore citizen child and at least 3 months with the employer. Give your employer at least 4 weeks' notice before Government-Paid Maternity Leave starts. Our guide to maternity and paternity leave in Singapore explains how to split the 16 weeks.

Fathers who aren't married to the mother can't take Government-Paid Paternity Leave or Shared Parental Leave. Both become available if the parents marry within 12 months of the birth, and the leave must then be taken within that 12 months. All mothers are eligible for Shared Parental Leave, MOM says; if the father isn't eligible, check on the Government-Paid Leave portal how much of the shared leave you can take yourself.

MOM confirms that single parents, defined as divorced, widowed or unwed and raising a child, are eligible for childcare leave. At the 2026 National Day Rally the Government announced that childcare leave and extended childcare leave will be merged into one larger scheme for children aged 12 and below, with the start date to be announced; see our guide to childcare leave in Singapore.

Baby Bonus, the CDA and the new child support package

Today, the Baby Bonus Cash Gift of S$11,000 to S$13,000 is only for children whose parents are lawfully married. The other half of the Baby Bonus Scheme, the Child Development Account, has been open to children of unwed parents since 2016, MSF says: the CDA First Step Grant (S$5,000 for a first child) and Government co-matching of what you save, for approved child-raising expenses.

From April 2027, the SG Child Support Package replaces the Baby Bonus and Large Families schemes. LifeSG says a child is eligible if they are a Singapore citizen aged 17 and below, with no condition on the parents' marriage, and MSF lists the package among the benefits given to every citizen child "regardless of their parents' marital status".

LifeSG says payouts go to the bank account linked to your child's PayNow ID, so set that up before 1 April 2027. If your child was born in 2026 or early 2027 and didn't get the Baby Bonus Cash Gift because you aren't married, ask LifeSG how the Baby Gift top-up applies to you. Our guides to the Baby Bonus and family support and the Baby Bonus payout schedule cover the current scheme.

Tax for single parents

IRAS gives the Working Mother's Child Relief and the Parenthood Tax Rebate only to parents who are married, divorced or widowed in the relevant year, so a mother who has never married can't claim either. For the Qualifying Child Relief, IRAS lists a child born to you and your spouse or ex-spouse, a step-child, or a legally adopted child. MSF notes that single unwed mothers don't need to adopt their own children to get Government benefits, and that adopting would end the biological father's duty to pay maintenance, so get advice before you go down that route. Our Parenthood Tax Rebate guide has the full rules.

Housing: HDB options for single parents

If you're living with your parents, the Family Care Scheme can help you get a new flat near them. For the rest, write to HDB early; cases are assessed one by one.

Childcare subsidies and money help

ECDA's infant and childcare subsidies treat the mother as the main applicant. If you work at least 56 hours a month, your citizen child gets a basic subsidy of S$600 a month for infant care or S$300 for childcare, plus an additional means-tested subsidy of up to S$710 or S$467 if your household income is S$12,000 or below; that income ceiling rises to S$15,000 from 1 January 2027. If you're not working because you're looking for a job, studying, pregnant or caring for a child with special needs, you can apply for time-limited higher subsidies under Special Approval. Our guide to infant care in Singapore covers costs and centres.

For money worries, MSF points single unwed parents to Social Service Offices and family service centres, where social workers assess needs "irrespective of their marital status". About 20% of single unwed mothers who gave birth between 2021 and 2025 received ComCare assistance in 2025, MSF says.

Frequently asked questions

Do unwed mothers get maternity leave in Singapore?

Yes. MOM says a single or unmarried mother gets up to 16 weeks of Government-Paid Maternity Leave if her child is a Singapore citizen and she has worked for her employer for at least 3 months.

Can unwed parents get the Baby Bonus?

Not the Baby Bonus Cash Gift, which requires the parents to be lawfully married. The CDA First Step Grant and co-matching have been open to children of unwed parents since 2016, and the SG Child Support Package from April 2027 covers every Singapore citizen child aged 17 and below.

Can an unwed father take paternity leave?

Only if he marries the child's mother between conception and birth, or within 12 months of the birth. The leave then has to be used within the child's first 12 months.

Can single parents claim the Parenthood Tax Rebate?

Divorced and widowed parents can; parents who have never married can't, IRAS says. The same applies to the Working Mother's Child Relief.

Where can single parents get financial help in Singapore?

MSF says to approach a Social Service Office or family service centre, where needs are assessed regardless of marital status. Childcare subsidies, healthcare subsidies and the CDA also apply to every Singapore citizen child.