Low-income Singaporeans will get extra help to cope with their daily living expenses.

In addition to the annual goods and services tax vouchers, public transport vouchers and service and conservancy charges rebates, these Singaporeans will receive a grocery voucher worth $100 a year for this year and next year.

Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said this yesterday as he announced a comprehensive Care and Support Package for households, amounting to about $1.6 billion. The voucher can be used at major supermarkets such as FairPrice, Giant and Sheng Siong.

The grocery voucher is for Singaporeans aged 21 and older who live in one-or two-room Housing Board flats and do not own more than one property.

To further help lower-wage workers, Singaporeans who received the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) last year will also qualify for a new Workfare Special Payment this year. This special payment - an additional 20 per cent of the total annual WIS payout the worker received last year - will be given in cash.

Workers with disabilities who were aged below 35 last year, and who meet the WIS criteria, will receive a Workfare Special Payment of between $100 and $300.

The WIS encourages eligible workers to work and build up their Central Provident Fund (CPF) savings by supplementing their income and retirement savings through cash payments and CPF contributions. To qualify for the WIS, Singaporeans must be 35 and older and earn a gross monthly income of not more than $2,300, among other criteria.