Written Answer to PQ on Women Caregivers and CPF Retirement Adequacy

NOTICE PAPER NO. 1187 OF 2026 FOR THE SITTING ON OR AFTER 9 SEPTEMBER 2026
QUESTION NO. 1843 FOR WRITTEN ANSWER

MP: Mr Gabriel Lam

To ask the Acting Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Ministry has assessed whether prolonged caregiving responsibilities disproportionately affect the retirement adequacy of women, particularly those who reduce their working hours or leave the workforce to care for elderly parents; and (b) whether additional measures are needed to address this gap.

Answer:

Based on the Comprehensive Labour Force Survey, women make up the majority of residents outside the labour force primarily due to caregiving for parents, although the proportion has declined from 72.2% in 2021 to 59.9% in 2025. However, we are unable to quantify whether prolonged caregiving responsibilities disproportionately affect the retirement adequacy of women, as we do not track the duration and extent of employment adjustments attributable to caregiving, which are personal family arrangements.

We support caregivers to remain in or return to work if they wish to do so. Caregivers returning to the workforce can tap on employment facilitation and reskilling support. We also support working caregivers in managing work and caregiving commitments by setting guidelines on flexible work arrangements (FWAs), which are offered by around seven in ten firms.

Working family members of caregivers can top up the caregivers’ CPF savings if they wish to do so. In addition, eligible caregivers can benefit from schemes such as the Workfare Income Supplement, Silver Support Scheme and Matched Retirement Savings Scheme, as well as the Budget 2026 CPF Top-Up.