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Singapore’s recovery from the pandemic presents untapped opportunities for disability inclusion

Last month, Parliament passed Budget 2022, which was entitled “Charting our new way forward” to underscore how Singapore aims to strengthen its social compact as it recovers from the pandemic.

Persons with disabilities have been hit hard by Covid-19. Many persons with disabilities have been disproportionately affected financially as sectors that bore the brunt of the pandemic and witnessed many lay-offs, such as food and beverage, hospitality, and others, were sectors where many working people with disabilities are concentrated.

Additionally, while safe entry checkpoints and the frequent opening and closing of building entrances were important for public health measures, much of the rollout and set-up of such measures did not take accessibility into consideration — posing new accessibility barriers for many persons with disabilities.

First, the Disabled People’s Association (DPA) welcomes the provision that persons with disabilities will continue to qualify for the highest payout level under the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) scheme regardless of age and that the Government will be lowering the eligibility age from 35 to 30.

This is important as schemes such as the WIS increase the purchasing power of disabled people — many of whom, as mentioned, have been hit hard by the pandemic.

Read more of the article first published on April 27, 2022 on Today’s website here

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