Singapore will set aside around S$30 million (US$23.5 million) for a new funding tier to encourage employers to hire more persons with disabilities (PWDs), particularly those with moderate support needs, as the Government steps up efforts to make inclusive employment more widespread.
The Stronger Support – Enabling Employment Grant (S-EEG) will provide additional funding to enterprises employing a “meaningful number” of PWDs with moderate support needs, Health Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies Ong Ye Kung announced at the Enabling Mark Awards 2026.
The initial S$30 million allocation will support the implementation of the new funding tier, with national disability agency SG Enable expected to launch its first call for proposals by the end of 2026.
“We will learn from its implementation and better understand what employers need to make (in order to) to support employment, to make it more sustainable,” Ong said.
He added that the Government would consider expanding its support for disability employment based on the programme's implementation, with the aim of making supported employment common practice.
The announcement comes as Singapore looks to address practical barriers employers face in hiring and supporting PWDs, including the costs of redesigning jobs, providing specialised training, modifying workplaces and arranging additional supervision or professional support.
“If we want employers to do more, the Government must be prepared to lean in and help defray some of these costs,” Ong said.
He urged businesses to move beyond treating disability-inclusive hiring as an individual corporate initiative and make it part of standard employment practices.
“We must make inclusive hiring the norm, not the exception; everyone's business, not the initiative of a few; and common industry practice, not something that rests on goodwill alone,” he said.
Singapore to consolidate employment grants in 2027
The S-EEG is part of the broader Enabling Employment Grant (EEG), which will consolidate three existing employer support schemes into a single grant in the first half of 2027.
The consolidated grant will simplify access to financial assistance and expand the range of expenses employers can claim, including costs associated with job redesign, workplace adjustments and customised in-house training for employees with disabilities.
The Government is also updating the existing Enabling Employment Credit (EEC), which provides wage offsets to employers hiring PWDs.
The permanent wage offset, currently covering up to 20% of an eligible employee's monthly salary and capped at S$400, will have its qualifying monthly income ceiling raised from S$4,000 to S$5,000. This will allow more employees with disabilities to qualify under the scheme.
The temporary wage offset for employees with disabilities who have been out of work for at least six months before being hired will also increase. The subsidy will rise from 20% to 30% of monthly wages, while the maximum monthly payout will increase from S$400 to S$600.
The duration of the temporary offset will be extended from nine months to 12 months.
These EEC enhancements will take effect from January 2027, according to the Ministry of Manpower. Employers will also receive payouts quarterly instead of every six months. The first quarterly payout is scheduled for December 2027, covering wages paid between July and September 2027.
Singapore aims to raise disability employment rate to 40%
The enhanced incentives form part of a broader effort to improve employment and community support for PWDs under the Taskforce on Assurance for Families with Persons with Disabilities.
The task force's report, released in October, outlined measures across areas including education, employment and support for families.
Ong said slightly more than a third of working-age PWDs in Singapore are currently employed, with the Government aiming to increase the employment rate to 40% by 2030.
Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development Eric Chua said discussions with families and employers had highlighted the need for more structured support to help PWDs transition from education into suitable employment.
A new Employment Support Office operated by SG Enable will help both employers and PWDs navigate employment-related matters, including the support available and how workplaces can better accommodate employees with disabilities.
Ong also cited employers such as United Overseas Bank and Marina Bay Sands, alongside smaller businesses including Reta Social Enterprise and jewellery business Eden and Elie, as examples of organisations creating employment opportunities for PWDs.
“With the right job design, training and support, persons with disabilities can do meaningful work and make a real contribution,” he said.
More community support and focus on career development
Beyond employment, Singapore will expand community-based support for adults with disabilities as their needs change.
An additional 2,300 places will be created at day activity centres and sheltered workshops by 2030, increasing total capacity to 5,800 places. The expansion is intended to reduce waiting times and improve access to services.
The Government is also piloting the Enabling Skills for Life Programme at selected day activity centres and sheltered workshops. The programme introduces a more structured curriculum to help PWDs develop independence, participate in community life and, where possible, prepare for employment.
Over the next few years, more centres will progressively be converted into Enabling Skills Centres operated by social service agencies.
By 2028, SG Enable will also establish 12 Enabling Services Hubs across Singapore to connect PWDs and caregivers with support resources, future care planning services and community programmes.
Meanwhile, more than 190 organisations received Enabling Mark accreditation at the November 10 awards ceremony, almost double the number recognised at the previous ceremony in 2024.
A refreshed Enabling Mark 2.0 framework was also introduced, placing greater emphasis on measurable inclusion outcomes, including employee retention and career development.
Ong said disability inclusion should extend beyond recruitment to creating opportunities for employees to remain in organisations and progress in their careers.
“Inclusion is not just about opening the door – it is about helping people stay, grow and build careers, so that our efforts are both sustained and sustainable,” he said.