Give incentives to encourage family members to live closer, govt told

2026-03-19 - 10:51

Centre for the Advancement of Community and Housing (REACH) chief coordinator Iskandar Abdul Samad proposed giving financial incentives to homebuyers who chose to live within a 20km radius of their parents or children. (Freepik pic) PETALING JAYA: An NGO advocating affordable housing has called on the government to provide incentives to encourage family members to live closer to one another to curb the prevalence of elderly people living in isolation. Centre for the Advancement of Community and Housing (REACH) chief coordinator Iskandar Abdul Samad said the government could use Singapore’s Proximity Housing Grant as a reference. Under the grant, homebuyers receive up to S$20,000 if they live within 4km of their parents or children, and up to S$30,000 if they live together. Iskandar, who is also PAS treasurer, said such incentives would not only strengthen family institutions but also reduce the risk of senior citizens being left without support, especially during festive periods such as Hari Raya. He said it was becoming increasingly common to hear of elderly individuals living alone as their children moved away for work, and this sometimes led to their deaths going unnoticed. “This is not a seasonal issue. The distance between family members has contributed to weaker relationships and reduced care for ageing parents,” he said in a Facebook post. Iskandar proposed giving financial incentives to homebuyers who chose to live within a 20km radius of their parents or children. He said the incentive could take the form of a cash grant based on a percentage of the house price. Iskandar also proposed introducing strict controls, including imposing a minimum 10-year restriction on the resale of the property to prevent abuse and speculation. He said the initiative could help instil a stronger sense of responsibility among family members while reducing reliance on government welfare assistance. In February, Sinar Daily reported that the “living and dying alone” phenomenon was reaching an alarming rate, with more people, especially the elderly, dying in isolation. In many cases, their deaths go unnoticed for days. In Perlis alone, a state with fewer than 300,000 residents, 80 solitary deaths were recorded between 2022 and August 2024.