Summary
Singapore seniors who sell their home and move to a smaller flat can receive up to S$40,000 in cash under the Silver Housing Bonus (SHB). At least one owner must be a Singapore citizen aged 55 or above, the next home must be a 3-room or smaller flat, and the household must commit up to S$60,000 to CPF Retirement Accounts and join CPF LIFE, according to the Housing & Development Board (HDB).
Changes that took effect on 1 December 2025 extended the bonus to owners of private homes with an Annual Value of up to S$31,000, added S$10,000 for households that move to a 2-room or smaller flat, and let CPF housing refunds count toward the top-up. Separately, the Ministry of Health (MOH), the Ministry of National Development (MND) and HDB said in July 2026 that the minimum age for buying a Community Care Apartment (CCA), HDB's senior-friendly flat with care services, will fall from 65 to 55.
What this means for Singapore seniors and their families
Who qualifies for the Silver Housing Bonus
HDB's conditions are:
- At least one owner is a Singapore citizen aged 55 or above.
- Gross monthly household income is S$14,000 or less.
- The home being sold is an HDB flat that has met its minimum occupation period, or a private home with an Annual Value of up to S$31,000.
- Apart from the home being sold, the household owns no private home and no more than one non-residential property.
- The next home is a 3-room flat (not a 3-room terrace) or a 2-room or smaller flat, including a short-lease 2-room Flexi flat or a CCA.
- Net sale proceeds are positive: the selling price exceeds the outstanding housing loan, the price of the next flat, any resale levy and any subsidy recovery on a Plus or Prime flat.
How much you get
The cash bonus is tied to what goes into CPF. Households selling an HDB flat, or a private home with an Annual Value of up to S$21,000, get S$1 for every S$2 committed. Owners of private homes with an Annual Value of S$21,000 to S$31,000 get S$1 for every S$6. Moving to a 2-room or smaller flat adds S$10,000, whatever the amount committed.
| Home sold | Next home: 3-room flat | Next home: 2-room or smaller, including a CCA |
|---|---|---|
| HDB flat, or private home with Annual Value up to S$21,000 | Up to S$30,000 | Up to S$40,000 |
| Private home with Annual Value of S$21,000 to S$31,000 | Up to S$10,000 | Up to S$20,000 |
Source: HDB, Silver Housing Bonus (accessed 30 Oct 2026). Amounts are per household.
The CPF commitment
The household must commit to a net increase of up to S$60,000 in its owners' CPF Retirement Accounts after right-sizing. The amount depends on the net sale proceeds and is capped at S$60,000 per household and at the prevailing Full Retirement Sum, HDB says. CPF housing refunds, meaning the CPF savings used for the home plus accrued interest, count toward the commitment, so a household whose refunds are large enough may not need a cash top-up. The household must also join CPF LIFE.
Timing
If you sell first, book a new flat or submit a resale application for the next home within 12 months of the sale's completion; buying before you sell also qualifies. The bonus application must reach HDB within one year of the legal completion of whichever transaction comes second.
Where to right-size
Seniors can buy a 3-room or smaller resale flat, or apply for a new flat at an HDB sales launch. Two flat types are designed for older buyers:
- Short-lease 2-room Flexi flats. Buyers and their spouses must be at least 55. The lease runs from 15 to 45 years, in five-year steps, and must last every buyer and spouse until at least age 95. Units are 36 sq m or 46 sq m, according to the CPF Board. The flat cannot be sold on the open market: owners who no longer want it return it to HDB, which pays for the unused part of the lease. Any private home must be sold within six months of completing the purchase.
- Community Care Apartments. These studio units of about 32 sq m come with senior-friendly fittings and a compulsory Basic Service Package that includes 24-hour emergency response and help arranging care, which may cost extra. The minimum age falls from 65 to 55 from the BTO sales exercise that launches the sixth CCA project, in Toa Payoh next to Caldecott MRT station, and for later Sale of Balance Flats exercises. Five CCA projects have been launched, in Bukit Batok, Queenstown, Bedok, Geylang and Sengkang. From the second quarter of 2027, residents of CCAs launched before 2026 will pay 18% to 75% less a month for the package, once it is streamlined and subsidised.
HDB's worked example
A couple sells a 5-room flat for S$705,000 with S$100,000 still owed on the loan, buys a 2-room Flexi flat on a 30-year lease for S$83,000 and pays a S$15,000 resale levy. Their net sale proceeds are S$507,000. They commit S$60,000 to their Retirement Accounts from their CPF refunds, with no cash top-up, and receive S$40,000: S$30,000 for the commitment and S$10,000 for moving to a 2-room flat.
If you would rather stay put
Owners aged 65 and above can instead sell part of their flat's remaining lease to HDB under the Lease Buyback Scheme and keep living in it, according to HDB's retirement brochure (information accurate as at December 2025).
Education only — not tax, legal or investment advice. HDB assesses eligibility when you apply, so check its current rules before you sell.
What to do next
- Check a private home's Annual Value on IRAS's myTax Portal to see which bonus tier applies.
- Work out your net sale proceeds before you commit to the next flat.
- Ask the CPF Board how much of your housing refund would go to your Retirement Account, and whether a cash top-up would be needed.
- Diary two deadlines: 12 months from the sale to book or buy the next flat, and one year from the second completion to apply for the bonus.
- Aiming for a CCA? HDB updates the HFE letters of applicants who were 55 or older when they applied; if you turned 55 later, apply again.
- Browse smaller homes for sale: https://proprkey.com/en/properties?segment=buyer&mode=buy
- Ask a verified lawyer or financial adviser to check your numbers: https://proprkey.com/en/pros?segment=legalFinance