Top Benefits for Senior Citizens | Special Discounts and Promotions
Living Out Your Golden Years with Extra Benefits in Singapore
Reading time: 4 mins
Aging into your golden years is a beautiful part of life. If you’re a Senior Citizen or elderly Permanent Resident (PR) in Singapore, this could mean more time to enjoy yourself in and around the island.
Another big perk of being a senior citizen in Singapore is the various support initiatives given by the government to value your contribution to the country. Besides this, there is a wide array of discounts and promotions given by telecom companies, insurers, restaurants and other organizations to ensure you live a carefree and active lifestyle as you age.
So, whether you have 55 or 70 candles on your birthday cake this year, there’s no reason why you should live a sedentary lifestyle. In fact, we think you should take advantage of all these additional bonuses because you deserve it!
Not sure what benefits are available to you? To make it easy, we’ve put together a comprehensive list of the top privileges and discounts available to all Senior Citizens and aged PRs in Singapore. Read on to discover what benefits await you!
Health & Wellness Benefits
Medical expenses are probably your biggest concern as you grow older. Good news is, there are many special discounts offered by the Government and pharmacies that you can take advantage of.
Here are some health and wellness benefits you can enjoy:
| PROGRAMME | MINIMUM AGE | BENEFITS |
| PA Wellness Programme | 50 | Free activities to remain mentally, physically and socially active. Includes health screening, physical activities, as well as Community Club (CC), Residents Committee (RC), and Neighbourhood Committee (NC) programmes. |
| Pioneer Generation Package (PGP) | 72 *Born on or before 31 Dec 1949 *Pioneers born in 1934 and earlier: Premiums fully covered *Pioneers born in 1935 to 1949: About two-thirds of premiums covered | Special subsidies for MediShield Life premiums (from 40% - 60%) and annual Medisave top-ups (up to $900 a year) for life. For more information on this, you can refer to their official website. Older Pioneers with serious pre-existing conditions will receive additional MediSave top-ups of $50-$200 from 2021-2025, to help with their higher MediShield Life premiums. Additional 50% off subsidized outpatient care at participating General Practices and Dental Clinics under CHAS. Additional $1500 participation incentive for Pioneers who join CareShield Life this year (2021). You may also contact the administration for more details:1800 2222 888 (PG and MG Packages); 1800 650 6060 (healthcare matters); orcontactus@pioneers.gov.sg / contactus@merdeka.gov.sg |
| Unity Pharmacy | 60 70 (for members under the Plus! Rewards Programme.) | 2% off regular priced items every Tuesday. 3% off on Mondays and Thursdays. *valid for purchases of up to $200 |
| Watsons | 50 (Jubilee card members, including non-citizens or PR holders.) | 10% off health products and medicines.5% off other purchases.10% off all products on birthday month. |
Housing Benefits
There are also special housing programmes available to you, if you’re considering renovating your current flat or thinking of downsizing to invest in your retirement savings. Here are a few, that may be beneficial for you:
| PROGRAMMES | MINIMUM AGE | BENEFITS / REQUIREMENTS |
| Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE) for added safety and comfort within your home. | 60 | Up to 95% off total expenses incurred for purchase of items that will make your home more comfortable for you. Improvement items include slip-resistant treatment to existing floor tiles, grab bars installed in toilets, and ramps within a flat for ease of movement for wheelchair use. |
| Lease Buyback Scheme (LBS) if you want to sell part of your flat’s lease to HDB. | 65 | For households with a gross monthly income of $14,000 or less. Sell the tail-end lease of your 2 to 5 room flat to HDB and receive between $7,500 to $30,000 of LBS bonus, depending on the size of your flat. Proceeds from the lease will be added to your Central Provident Fund (CPF) Retirement Account, to the current age-adjusted Full Retirement Sum (FRS) or Basic Retirement Sum (BRS) depending on eligibility. |
| Deferred Downpayment Scheme (DDS) if you’re thinking of downsizing. | 55 | If you have pre-booked a 2-room Flexi or 3-room incomplete flat to move into. Must not have sold or completed the sale of your existing flat when you apply for the new flat. Payment of the purchase price of the new flat will only be required once your new unit is ready for key collection. |
Grocery Discounts
Of course, grocery shopping does not cease with age. So, the major supermarket chains in Singapore, specifically, NTUC FairPrice, Giant, Sheng Siong, Cold Storage and Prime, offer senior citizen discounts on different days of the week. This is a great way to save on your monthly spending.
| SUPERMARKET | MINIMUM AGE | DISCOUNTS |
| NTUC FairPrice | 70 60 | 3% off on Mondays and Wednesdays 2% off on Tuesdays *for purchases capped at $200 per receipt *discount rates valid until 31 December 2021 |
| Giant | 60 | 3% off on Monday to Friday *discount rates valid until 31 December 2021 |
| Sheng Siong | 70 60 | 3% off on Tuesdays 3% off on Wednesdays *for purchases capped at $200 per receipt *discount rates valid until 31 December 2021 |
| Cold Storage | 60 | 3% off on Wednesdays |
| Prime Supermarket | 60 | 3% off on Monday to Friday |
Telecommunication Discounts
You probably have more time now to keep in touch with your loved ones. With these telecom benefits, you can hang on the phone with your family and friends without worrying about the phone bill!
| TELCO PROVIDER | MINIMUM AGE | DISCOUNTS |
| M1 | 60 | 25% off your monthly subscription plan, for new sign-ups or re-contracts to a 2-year Plan with a brand new device. |
| Starhub | 60 | 5G service at no extra cost. Plus, it comes with more data, SMS and talk time. |
| SingTel | 55 | Free phones, added local talk time, data-free WhatsApp messaging, free Digital Wednesday Workshops and express queues at any Singtel Shop. |
Recreation Benefits and Discounts
Now you can take the grandkids for a daytrip without worrying about spending too much. All the Singapore Wildlife Reserves Parks, namely the Singapore Zoo, Jurong Bird Park, River Safari and Night Safari, and other attractions around the island offer senior citizens – aged 60 and above – generous discounts on ticket prices. Here’s some places you may want to visit:
| ATTRACTIONS | DISCOUNTS FOR SENIORS (aged 60 and above) |
| Singapore Zoo | Only $18 for a standard pass on any day of the week. Including a complimentary tram ride. |
| Jurong Bird Park | Only $15 for a standard pass on any day of the week. Including a complimentary tram ride. |
| River Safari | Only $17 for a standard admission ticket on any day of the week. You can also add on another $5 for the Amazon River Quest boat ride. |
| Night Safari | Only $1 admission fee if you’re fully vaccinated.* Promotion is valid from 1 - 30 September. You can view the terms and conditions on their official website. |
| Asian Civilisations Museum | FREE admission to all permanent galleries showcasing artefacts from the civilisations of China, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and West Asia/Islamic. |
| ArtScience Museum | 30% off the standard ticket price for a single exhibition. |
| Gardens by the Bay | Only $15 for a season pass admission to the two conservatories – Cloud Forest and Flower Dome The season pass also includes: Unlimited admissions to Flower Dome and Cloud Forest until 30 November 2021Exclusive privileges at the Gardens’ gift shops and dining establishments. You could also opt for the ‘Friends of the Gardens’ membership that costs $60 per year, which includes unlimited admission to the Flower Dome, Cloud Forest and OCBC Skyway. With this membership, you get to enjoy free parking for the first 2 hours and exclusive merchant discounts too.*There is also a 6 month membership for only $15 up till 31 December 2021. However, please note that this membership is only applicable on weekdays. |
| Marina South Ferry (island hopping) | Only $11.50 for a ferry ticket with access to all 4 islands (St. John's, Lazarus, Kusu, and Sisters' Islands).This includes unlimited transfers among the Southern Islands. |
Movie Discounts
If you rather stay indoors, then why not catch the latest movie screening? At Shaw Theatres, seniors aged 55 and above pay $4 for a regular (2D) movie ticket on Mondays to Fridays (before 6pm), while Golden Village and Cathay Cineplexes charge $5.
Transportation Discounts and Promotions
If you are 60 years old or above, you probably have a PAssion Silver Concession Card. Besides discounts for recreation and various merchants, did you know that with this card, you can enjoy concessionary fares on public transport? Yes, with this card, you’re eligible for a 25% discount or more on the Adult Fare.
However, if you’re not yet retired and frequently take public transport to work, you can opt for the Hybrid Concession Pass, which offers one month of unlimited rides on basic bus and MRT/LRT services. Singaporean Permanent Residents are eligible for the purple Senior Citizen Concession Card when they apply through TransitLink.
On the other hand, if you prefer driving your own car when you head out, then you should get the best car insurance that offers extra perks for senior citizens. DirectAsia offers a one-month free policy to drivers between the ages of 56 to 70, plus a $50 eCapitaVoucher to offset your shopping and dining purchases with the promotion code “SILVERS1MF”! This promotion is available for all new car insurance policies (except SOS Car Insurance).
Enjoy The Extra Perks in Your Golden Years!
These are just some of the top perks you get to enjoy in Singapore during your golden years. Of course there are also dining discounts that you get to benefit from too. Currently, Buffet Town is offering a $28 weekday lunch special to senior citizens aged 60 and above, from Monday to Friday (excluding Public Holiday, Saturdays and Sundays). Hot Tomato on the other hand has a senior citizen dine-in promotion, where you get to enjoy 30% off your main course from 3pm to 5.30pm every Monday to Friday (excluding eve and Public Holidays).
It pays to check online for new promotions and offers available to senior citizens in Singapore before you head out for lunch with the family or high-tea with your friends. You may come across some other seasonal deals and promotions just for you.
Do you know of any other senior citizen discounts in Singapore? Share them in the comments, because we’d love to know too!
Disclaimer: All discounts and promotions mentioned are accurate at the time of publishing. DirectAsia is not liable for any offers that may have lapsed when reading this article.
