$60m in utility rebates for HDB families

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LOWER- and middle-income households will be given a helping hand with their
utility bills from next month.

The Finance Ministry announced yesterday
that more than 780,000 HDB households will receive $60 million in utility
rebates next month.

The money forms part of the $4 billion GST offset
package unveiled in 2007 and is designed to help households cope with the two
percentage point hike in goods and services tax (GST) that same year.

The July rebate is the second payment this year and comes six months after
the first payout in January.

In total, $125 million of Utilities Save -
or U-Save - rebates will be distributed this year.

One- and two-room
households can look forward to $100 worth of rebates, which can offset as much
as 15 per cent of their annual utility bills.

Four-room owners will get
$85 worth of U-Save rebates, or 5 per cent of their annual bills.

These
rebates can be used only to directly offset utlity charges, and will be
reflected in the utility bills of eligible households for next month.

The rebates will cost the Goverment about $620 million spread over five
years.

When fully disbursed, HDB households will have received rebates
worth from $370 for executive flat owners to up to $1,130 for one-room
households over the five years.

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