As 2025 unfolds, Singapore continues empowering its lower-wage workers through the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) scheme—an annual perk offering up to S$2,800 for self-employed individuals. WIS not only provides immediate cash support but also boosts CPF contributions, promoting both present relief and future financial security. Best of all? The entire process is automatic, so eligible individuals need not worry about applying. This guide walks you through who qualifies, how much you can get, how it’s disbursed, and what steps (if any) you need to take to receive it.
What is the Workfare Payment?
Introduced in 2007, WIS is a longstanding part of Singapore’s social support framework. Its two-pronged goal is to:
- Supplement the income of lower-wage workers through both cash payouts and CPF (or MediSave) top-ups, and
- Encourage regular work and savings habits through consistent, automatic support.
The scheme is available to two main groups:
- Employees
- Self-employed persons (SEPs)
This article focuses primarily on SEPs, since they are eligible for up to S$2,800 per year in total WIS support.
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify as a self-employed person:
- You must be a Singapore Citizen
- Be at least 30 years old (or any age if you have disabilities)
- Earn an average gross monthly income between S$500 and S$3,000 (starting July 2025—you could use the previous cap of S$2,500 for earlier work years)
- Live in a property with Annual Value (AV) of S$21,000 or below, and own at most one property (inclusive of your spouse’s property ownership)
- If married, your spouse’s assessable income must not exceed S$70,000 in the preceding Year of Assessment
- Additionally, SEPs must declare their Net Trade Income (NTI) to IRAS and make the required MediSave contributions for the work year before being assessed for WIS
These criteria ensure that Workfare support is well-targeted toward genuinely lower-income, actively working citizens.
How is Workfare Income Supplement Disbursed?
WIS for SEPs is paid once a year, based on income from the previous work year. The breakdown of payout methods is:
- Cash portion: 10% of the total WIS
- MediSave top-up: 90% of the total WIS
Disbursement Timeline
- Earliest PayNow or bank credit: End of April following the work year
- If using GovCash (for those without bank account registration), payout arrives in the first week of May
While your payout amount is automatically calculated based on your declared income and CPF or MediSave contributions, you must ensure your NTI and MediSave are up-to-date to complete eligibility requirements.
Step by Step Process
Most eligible SEPs won’t need to take any extra steps. The government automatically assesses your eligibility after income declarations and MediSave contributions are in order.
However, to ensure timely and accurate payout here are some of the process:
- Declare your Net Trade Income (NTI) to IRAS for the relevant work year.
- Make your MediSave contributions via CPF Board by March 31 of the following year.
- Ensure your PayNow-NRIC linkage is updated (or bank account for GovCash), so the cash portion can be disbursed quickly.
- Keep an eye on notifications via Singpass or Gov.sg SMS—but know that no application is required.
Importance
WIS is more than a one-off payout—it plays a dual role in financial support:
- Immediate help through the cash component
- Long-term retirement support through MediSave top-ups
For example, a 50-year-old SEP could receive up to S$2,800 a year, with the majority directed into savings while still getting accessible cash.
Conclusion
The Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) scheme is a thoughtful, dual-purpose initiative—providing immediate financial aid while strengthening future savings for Singapore’s lower-wage self-employed citizens. With automatic eligibility assessments and seamless payouts, there’s no need to apply actively—just make sure your income declarations, MediSave contributions, and payout details are current. You could be eligible for up to S$2,800 a year in meaningful support that empowers both today and tomorrow.