The Singapore government has announced a major push to encourage births, with each newborn set to receive almost 70,000 Singapore dollars in state support until age 17, after the total fertility rate fell to a record low of 0.87. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong unveiled the measures during his National Day Rally speech on Sunday night, adding annual Child Credits of 2,000 Singapore dollars, a First Step Grant of 5,000 Singapore dollars, and full-day childcare subsidies on top of the existing 10,000 Singapore dollar Baby Gift. The government will also give additional Build-to-Order flat ballot chances for each child, and plans to spend nearly 7 billion Singapore dollars this financial year on marriage and parenthood measures, even as a YouGov survey found that almost one in three Singaporeans aged 18 to 44 said no policy would make them want more children.
