Migrant Domestic Worker (MDW) Levy Concession for Persons with Disabilities

If your loved one with disabilities is aged below 16 or above 67, they will be automatically covered under Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) Young Child scheme (below 16) or Aged person scheme (above 67).

You do not need to apply for this levy concession for persons with disabilities which comes with added steps and costs for disability assessment.

The FAR assesses a person’s need for assistance with the activities of daily living. 
 
Approved FAR assessors include:

• Doctors who are under full or conditional registration with the Singapore Medical Council and possess the necessary licence(s). This includes the doctor or the doctor’s organisation holding the relevant and valid Healthcare Services Act (HCSA) licence(s).
• Registered nurses who are under full or conditional registration with the Singapore Nursing Board
• Physiotherapists who are under full, conditional or restricted registration with the Allied Health Professions Council (“AHPC”)
• Occupational therapists who are under full, conditional or restricted (restricted scope classification - “Physical dysfunction / Adults and older adults” only) registration with AHPC.

If the person who needs assessment is below the age of 8, he/ she must be assessed by a paediatrician.

The CAF is an assessment tool used to determine the level of support needs for persons living with Intellectual Disability (ID) or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

This assessment can be used to apply for long-term care schemes administered by AIC for care recipients aged 16 years old and above. They can choose to have their level of support needs for ADL determined via the CAF.

The CAF must be completed by an MSF-approved assessor who is also a registered Allied Health Professional, such as an Occupational Therapist (OT) or Physiotherapist (PT), for the purpose of applying for AIC-administered grants.
 

If your loved one is currently attending a Special Education School or disability care services such as Day Activity Centres, you can check if the school or service provider can do the assessment.  
 

Do check with the assessor beforehand that he/she is both an MSF-approved CAF assessor and an OT or PT before proceeding with the assessment. 

If the school or service provider does not provide CAF assessment or if the care recipient with ID or ASD do not receive disability services from the community, you may approach these Therapy Hubs for CAF assessment. 

Please note that if the care recipient (aged 21 and above) lacks mental capacity to provide consent for the scheme application, Section B of the Functional Assessment Report* needs to be submitted with the CAF. This form must be endorsed only by a registered medical doctor.  

*Note that fees may apply for this assessment.

You can apply on behalf of your loved one as long as:

• You are the appointed Donee (appointed under the Lasting Power of Attorney) or Deputy (appointed under the Mental Capacity Act) authorised to make decisions on his/ her property and affairs.
• If your loved one does not have a Donee or Deputy, you can apply on his/ her behalf if you are an immediate family member (parent, spouse or child. Otherwise, you can only apply on his/ her behalf if the immediate family members are unable to do this (eg deceased, lack mental capacity or other issues).  For successful applications without a donee/deputy, the caregiver or another family member has 12 months to obtain a court order appointing him/her as a deputy, failing which the payouts will be suspended. Do visit the Singapore Courts website to find out how to apply for a deputyship.
• You may need the following documents:

  • Recent medical report stating that he/ she lacks mental capacity

    OR

    Doctor’s certification that he/ she lacks mental capacity

    • If the care recipient is also going for a disability assessment, you must ask if the doctor can do a mental capacity assessment (using this form) at the same time.
    • The doctor’s certification is valid for six months, unless stated as permanent.

    OR

    Court order of deputy appointment

  • Copy of bank book or statement if the bank account nominated to receive the grant belongs to a deputy or trustee.

The care recipient’s parent or legal guardian may apply on their behalf.

A legal guardian is someone lawfully appointed under the Guardianship of Infants Act.

If there are changes in the MDW, MDW employer or address

You do not need to reapply for the levy concession.

If you are hiring a helper to take care of a new care recipient

You will need to submit a fresh application.

Do note that each household can get up to two levy concessions if caring for two eligible persons with disabilities at the same time.

AIC needs the NRIC issue date for verification. You can find it on the back of your NRIC card.

Visit SG Enable’s Enabling Guide, an online resource for persons with disabilities and their caregivers, as well as professionals looking for disability support.