‘No strings attached’ cash aid helps lower-income households’ mental health, job security: AWWA study

“CASH IS A POWERFUL RESOURCE”

According to experts, the cash assistance provided carers with agility in budgeting and emotional space to think about the future.
 
Some parents were able to save money by paying for their children’s insurance premium. Some of them put money in a bank, according to AWWA Family Service Centre older cultural employee Ms. Michele Gan. &nbsp,
 
” Savings can also be, in a way, like helping them to pay off some of their bills and debt”.
 
Ms. Gan argued that such programs should also include instruction on how to use the money sensibly.
 
Temasek Trust, the humanitarian arm of state investment Temasek, has pledged another S$ 750, 000 for AWWA’s home independence programme to proceed. &nbsp, The initiative received its first round of cash of S$ 750, 000 from Standard Chartered Bank.
 
There is the notion that lower-income people should be encouraged to get off help and to get back into work as soon as possible, according to social support. But, according to Dr. Ng Kok Hoe, senior research fellow and mind of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy’s Case Insights System, that’s the idea that any job is better than no work. &nbsp,
 
He added that this notion is” certainly often true.”
 
People frequently feel compelled to take the second job they come across, even if it’s a bad job, when they are somewhat under the pressure of a financial crisis. They then get stuck in a period of untimely, little bouts of work, and so on,” he said.
 
Dr. Ng, who participated in the study, claimed that when economic aid is provided upfront to help financially depressed people, they can continue to work for better pay. &nbsp,
 
He added that he thinks Singapore can continue to support low-income families by updating its social help laws and creating good jobs. &nbsp,
 
Assistance may remain sustained over a longer period, he noted. &nbsp,
 
” It should be continuous and assured, meaning that it should n’t require frequent trips back to an office to file an application, not knowing whether the money will keep coming”.
 
The form of support is also essential, he stressed. &nbsp,
 
” Money is a powerful tool, because it offers freedom and of course command. Although services and subsidies are essential, cash aid frequently gives people a measure of leverage that other forms of assistance do not.
 
Dr. Ng added that offering great jobs is necessary for long-term money stability. &nbsp,
 
” That means setting clear criteria for good work such as balance, salary, social security and so on”, he said.