From HDB housing options designed to meet your needs, to schemes that allow you to unlock the value of your HDB flat, there is plenty of support available to help seniors in planning for a comfortable and worry-free retirement.
This guide will walk you through the housing help available to support you in your golden years.
1. Buying a Flat
Before buying an HDB flat, apply for an HDB Flat Eligibility (HFE) letter via the HDB Flat Portal for a comprehensive overview of your housing and financing options. It will inform you of your eligibility to purchase a new or resale flat, as well as the amount of CPF housing grants and HDB housing loan you are eligible for.
If you’re looking to right-size to a smaller flat after your children have grown up and moved out, you could consider the following housing options:
| 2-room Flexi flat | If you and your spouse are aged 55 and above, you can also opt for a 2-room Flexi flat with shorter lease. You can choose a lease of between 15 and 45 years in 5-year increments, if it covers both you and your spouse until at least 95 years of age. The price of the flat will also be adjusted based on the chosen lease length. These senior-friendly short-lease flats come installed with grab bars. You can also opt for additional senior-friendly fittings in the flat under the Optional Components Scheme (OCS). These include built-in kitchen cabinets with induction hobs and cooker hood, kitchen sink, and a built-in wardrobe. |
| Community Care Apartments (CCAs) | CCAs combine senior-friendly housing with care services, offering an option for seniors to age in-place and independently in a community setting. These apartments feature an open layout, with sliding partitions to separate the living room and bedroom. Each unit comes in ready-to-move-in condition, with built-in wardrobes, cabinets, a furnished kitchen, and other senior-friendly designs. There is even a furnished communal space on each floor for residents to mingle, share meals and take part in group activities! |
Seniors can also tap on priority schemes to help improve your chances of being balloted for a new flat during sales launches:
| Multi-Generation Priority Scheme | If you and your married child are planning to buy new flats and would like to live close to each other, you can consider making a joint application for 2 flats in a single BTO project, where 2-room Flexi or 3-room flats are integrated into the flat mix. Both you and your married child will be issued 1 queue position. |
| Married Child Priority Scheme | If you’re looking to live near your married child, you may qualify for the Married Child Priority Scheme. Your new flat must be within 4 km from the HDB flat or private residential property that your married child lives in. |
| Senior Priority Scheme | If you’re looking specifically to buy a 2-room Flexi flat that is either near your current flat to age-in-place in a familiar environment, or near your married child, you may qualify for the Senior Priority Scheme. The 2-room Flexi flat must be within 4 km of your current flat or 4 km from the HDB flat or private residential property that your married child lives in. |
2. Monetising Your Flat
Seniors can also tap on schemes to help finance your flat purchase or supplement your retirement income.
The table below offers a quick overview of the various housing monetisation options , to cater to your needs and preferences.
| Rent out your flat or spare bedroom | Stay with your family for mutual care and support while receiving monthly rental income when you rent out your flat, or continue living in your flat while receiving monthly income when you rent out your spare bedroom. |
| Apply for the Lease Buyback Scheme (LBS) | Sell part of your flat’s lease and continue to live in your flat for the remaining lease. After using the proceeds received through LBS to top up your CPF Retirement Account (RA), you may receive a cash bonus of up to $30,000 – depending on your flat type and how much you have topped up to your CPF Retirement Account. You will also receive a monthly income from CPF payout age through CPF LIFE. You can also choose to rent out a spare bedroom to further supplement your retirement income. |
| Apply for the Silver Housing Bonus (SHB) | If you’re selling your current flat and buying a 3-room or smaller flat, you can apply for the SHB. After selling your current flat and after paying for your next flat, the proceeds will be used to top up your CPF Retirement Account (RA). Depending on how much you top-up, you may receive a cash bonus of up to $30,000. You will also receive a monthly income from CPF payout age through CPF LIFE. You can also choose to rent out a spare bedroom of your 3-room flat to further supplement your retirement income. |
3. Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE)
For seniors who are 65 years old and above, or between 60 and 64 years old and require assistance with at least 1 or more of the Activities of Daily Living (e.g. washing, bathing, feeding, toileting, mobility), the Enhancement for Active Seniors programme, or EASE, can help make your home safer and more comfortable.
Features for your safety and well-being, such as grab bars, slip-resistant bathroom tiles and ramps, will be installed in your home. EASE is usually offered as part of the Home Improvement Programme (HIP), and is heavily subsidised – depending on your flat type, you will only need to pay about 5 to 12.5% of the cost. If your block isn’t eligible for HIP yet and you want to install these improvements sooner, you can apply directly through EASE (Direct Application).
Here’s a quick overview on the improvements you can expect:
| Items suitable for fall prevention/ additional support | Wall-mounted foldable shower seat for your bathroomHandrail for your flat’s main entrance with steps |
| Items suitable for wheelchair/ commode users | |
| Items suitable for general safety and well-being |
