CDC vouchers 2024: How to claim, merchant list, and more

Good news, the beloved CDC vouchers tradition is carrying into 2024.

This benevolent measure, born in 2020 during the throes of the pandemic, aimed to stimulate local and hawker businesses by distributing $100 worth of CDC vouchers (Community Development Council vouchers) to specific households.

Over time, recognising the positive impact, the government extended this support to encompass all Singaporean households.

Imagine it as a "free lunch" for all Singaporeans, where these vouchers essentially translate into spendable cash at participating hawker stalls and supermarkets.

So, how do you get your hands on CDC vouchers in the coming year and where can you use them?

What are CDC vouchers?

The Community Development Council (CDC) Voucher Scheme was launched in 2020 to help households cope with the cost of living, while at the same time helping local businesses.

CDC Vouchers can be used at participating local merchants and hawkers. To use your vouchers, you simply hand them to the participating merchant, who will then exchange them for cash from the government. You can use more than one CDC voucher in a single transaction.

CDC vouchers are likely to be in $2, $5 and $10 denominations to make it easier to use them for small purchases.

Who is eligible for CDC vouchers in January 2024?

In 2024, all households will receive a total of $500 in CDC vouchers — that's $200 worth of additional CDC vouchers compared to 2023.

As it is, Singaporean households were already expecting to receive $300 worth of CDC vouchers in 2024. Then the government announced an additional $200 worth would be doled out.

The $200 worth of additional CDC vouchers will be split into two categories, with $100 of them allocated to spending at participating heartland merchants and hawkers, and the remaining $100 meant to be spent at participating supermarkets.

So long as there is at least one Singapore citizen in your household, you should qualify for the vouchers.

How to collect your CDC vouchers in 2024

Claim your CDC vouchers online via SingPass at go.gov.sg/cdcv. You only need one member of each household to claim the CDC vouchers on behalf of the entire household.

Once you claim the voucher, you’ll receive a voucher link via SMS. Double check that the SMS is identifiable by the sender named RedeemSG and that your unique voucher link starts with the following prefix: https://voucher.redeem.gov.sg.

CDCs or RedeemSG will not ask for your personal information or banking details via SMS. If you feel that the link you received looks fishy, trust your gut—you may contact PA at 62255322, report online, or call 1800 255 0000 to make a police report.

Which merchants accept CDC vouchers?

A wide range of participating local businesses will be accepting CDC vouchers, including the following:

• Food and beverage businesses including hawker and food court stalls
• Bakeries
• Wet market stalls
• Provision shops and minimarts
• Hair salons and barber shops
• Pet shops
• Optical shops
• Photo shops
• Electronic shops
• Clinics and medical halls
• Florists

This list isn't exhaustive. It depends on which local businesses in your area have decided to sign up as CDC merchants and have been accepted for the scheme.

To find the list of participating merchants in your neighbourhood, visit the CDC Go Where website and key in your postal code to check what's available.

Honestly, if you're looking for your favourite economical cai fan stall on the list, it will be a challenge. You'll find yourself with a list of hawker stall unit numbers such as #01-45, #01-46, #01-47, and so on.

If you're in a hawker centre or kopitiam, it's easier to walk up to the hawker stall and check for the CDC Voucher decal stuck to the front of their stall.

If you're looking for cool shops to use your CDC vouchers at, search "merchants" and plonk in keywords such as "ice cream".

CDC voucher merchants: Ice cream & waffle shops

Some neighbourhood ice cream and waffle shops that accept CDC vouchers include:

• Ice Cream Chefs: Upper Thomson
• FIC (Fried Ice Cream & Viet Bites): Ang Mo Kio
• Yocha Ice Cream: Upper Serangoon, Tampines
• Udders Ice Cream: Kovan, Upper Thomson
• Smitten Ice Cream Bar: Bedok
• Denzy Ice Cream: Bedok

CDC voucher merchants: Korean BBQ & Thai mookata

Some Korean BBQ and Thai mookata restaurants in the heartlands that accept CDC vouchers are:

• SSak3 Korean BBQ: Bras Basah
• Sixty BBQ Seafood & Satay: East Coast Park
• Thai Hao Chi Mookata: Upper Thomson, Bedok
• Siam Square Mookata: Bukit Batok, Jurong West
• Jub Jub Mookata: Choa Chu Kang
• PremiumThai Mookata: Tampines

CDC voucher merchants: Lok lok

There's a total of nine lok lok hawker stalls that accept CDC vouchers:

• 39 Lok Lok Curry Rice: 73A Ayer Rajah Crescent
• 4896 Lok Lok: 500 Clemenceau Avenue North
• 85 Lok Lok: 85 Bedok North St 4
• A.K Zai Lok Lok: Outram Road
• Affinity Lok Lok: 335 Smith Street
• Fei Zhu Lok Lok: 267A Toh Guan Road
• Hey Lok Lok: Jurong West Ave 5
• Lok Lok 1991's by Daniel & Meng: 340 Ang Mo Kio Ave 1
• Maxwell Lok Lok: 1 Kadayanallur Street

How to use CDC vouchers?

If we could shout this, we would: you do not need to download a mobile application to claim or spend your CDC vouchers.

This information is crucial in safeguarding yourself against potential scams.

Once you’ve clicked on your unique link sent via SMS and entered the RedeemSG site, select the vouchers you need for your transaction. 

A single QR code will then be generated which you can then present to the cashier to scan. 

While there isn’t a limit to the number you can spend per purchase, you can only stack a maximum of 15 digital vouchers per QR code.

It’s important to note that, akin to other vouchers, no change will be provided if the purchase amount is less than the vouchers used.

If your voucher value is less than your total bill, you are required to top up the difference on your own.

When the redemption is successful, merchants will see a confirmation on their RedeemSG Merchant app and your QR code will be updated to “Redeemed” status.

Accessing the same voucher link from the SMS sent by RedeemSG allows users to check the remaining balance.

You have until Dec 31, 2024 to spend all the vouchers so don’t forget about them!

Individuals without mobile phones or digital devices or lack assistance from family members can approach the nearest Community Centres/Clubs for help in printing the vouchers.

In such cases, residents need to bring their notification letter, Identification Card (IC), and ensure they have a valid Singpass account.

Printed vouchers function like cash—anyone who picks it up can use it and lost vouchers will not be replaced.

So, if you know anyone who is redeeming their vouchers physically, remind them to keep them safe.

In case you’re wondering if the vouchers can be used for your online shopping needs, the answer is no. Currently, CDC vouchers are not applicable for e-commerce or online transactions.

How to join as a CDC merchant

If you are a local business owner, you can sign up to be a merchant for the CDC Voucher Scheme here. Note that you cannot accept CDC vouchers for the sale of lottery products, petrol or diesel, alcohol or cigarettes.

The more CDC merchants are on the scheme, the more beneficial CDC vouchers will be-so if you know of any local businesses who are not yet on the scheme, do encourage them to sign up.

ALSO READ: CDC and GST vouchers (December 2023): Everything you need to know plus the amount you'll get

This article was first published in MoneySmart.