One could say that Singaporeans started 2024 in a bit of a pinch, with GST being raised to nine percent – just shortly after Singapore was crowned the world’s most expensive city for yet another year running. Naturally, we’re all feeling the strain on our wallets, especially when it comes to daily necessities like meals and groceries.
Thankfully, to help defray the increasing cost of living, the government granted every Singapore household $500 worth of CDC (Community Development Council) Vouchers earlier this January, and these could be used at places like supermarkets, hawker centres, and more. And for the first time ever within a single year, we're now eligible to claim another round of these CDC vouchers this June, this time with a total value of $300.
Here’s a handy guide on using your CDC Vouchers this 2024, covering everything from the redemption process, deadlines to take note of, and whether you can claim physical copies instead of digital credits.
Who is eligible for CDC Vouchers in 2025?
Every Singaporean household, regardless of total income or household income per capita, is eligible to receive the new set of $300 CDC Vouchers for 2025. This is divided into $150 for participating supermarkets, and $150 for participating heartland hawker stalls and merchants. This amount is fixed no matter how large or small the household is, so if you live with your parents, siblings, or children, it’s up to you guys to come to a mutual agreement on how to split the credits. Credits from one category strictly cannot be transferred to the other.
How to redeem CDC Vouchers for 2025?
CDC Vouchers can be redeemed online via signup.redeem.gov.sg/. After clicking ‘claim’, you will be asked to log into your Singpass account for verification. Thereafter, you’ll receive an SMS from RedeemSG with a link to your vouchers, which you’ll be able to access through your smartphone anytime. Only one person from the household needs to do this step, while the rest can simply have the link forwarded to them and access the vouchers from there in just one click.
Fair warning though: be sure not to send the link to anyone outside of your household, as they’ll then be able to utilise your vouchers too, without any verification system to check if they're indeed one of your family members or otherwise. Any vouchers that have been misspent unfortunately cannot be replaced, so be careful with that precious hyperlink.
Note: With all the phishing scams going on right now, do make sure to double-check with your family members regarding any links received before clicking on them, just to be safe.
Are there physical versions of CDC Vouchers?
Your elderly relatives might not own smartphones, but they need not worry. In lieu of digital credits, physical CDC Vouchers can be collected at Community Centres and Community Clubs in each neighbourhood – find one near you here. Remember to bring along your NRIC for verification purposes. Do note that a physical copy can only be collected if the digital version has yet to be claimed, and that the vouchers cannot be split between the two forms.
If your loved one is unable to visit the CC to collect their physical CDC Vouchers for whatever reason (including health and mobility issues), you may help do so on their behalf. Simply fill in this authorisation form and bring it with you, along with their notification letter and the NRICs or other legal identification documents for both parties.
Where can CDC Vouchers be used?
Supermarkets (denominations of $10)
Your $150 worth of supermarket vouchers can be used at Ang Mo Supermarket, Cold Storage, CS Fresh, Giant, Hao Mart, Hillview Market Place, Jasons, NTUC FairPrice, Prime, Sheng Shiong, and U Stars. Do note that they cannot be used at Don Don Donki. Check out the full list of specific participating supermarket outlet location here.
Hawkers and heartland merchants (denominations of $2, $5, and $10)
The other $150 of your CDC Vouchers is for selected participating hawkers and heartland merchants. The range is much wider for this category, as ‘heartland merchants’ also encompasses a pool of local cafés, hair salons, pet supply and grooming stores, clothing stores, mobile phone shops, Art Friend, home lighting shops, and even Kiddy Palace. Check out the full list of hawkers and heartland merchants here.
Typically, any store that accepts CDC Vouchers as payment would have a little signage pasted at their entrance or cashier area. This will be in yellow for supermarkets, and teal for hawkers and heartland merchants.
How to use CDC Vouchers to make payment?
First, access your vouchers via your smartphone through the unique link given to your household. Select the type of vouchers you’d like to use, choose your desired amount to spend, and a QR code will appear for you to present to the shop’s staff when making payment. The staff will then scan your QR code to deduct the amount accordingly.
Bear in mind that strictly no change will be given, so if you use a $10 voucher for an $8 purchase, you’ll have to forgo the remaining $2. However, voucher usage can be combined with cash, so you can use a $5 voucher and top up $3 from your pocket for an item that costs $8. The same rules apply for physical vouchers.
Can I still use or donate my old CDC Vouchers from 2024?
All CDC Vouchers that were given out across 2024 have unfortunately since expired, as of 31 December. However, they don't totally have to go to waste. Any unspent CDC Vouchers can still go to a good cause, as you can opt to donate them between now to January 31, 2025. Information on donation of this year's vouchers have yet to be released. Find out more about CDC Voucher donation here.
When is the deadline for redemption and usage of CDC Vouchers?
All CDC Vouchers for 2025 must be claimed and used before their expiry date of 31 December this year. Any unused amount will be forfeited, so make a point to use them sooner rather than later in case you end up forgetting about them.
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