An in-depth guide to HDB's priority schemes to increase your BTO or SBF ballot chances

These days, getting a queue number for an HDB BTO or SBF flat is like winning a 4D or Toto. Chances of getting one to book a flat are slim. Nevertheless, there are ways to increase your chances, one of which is to look at the HDB priority schemes.

As they say, the devil's in the details. In this lengthy guide, we'll cover everything you need to know about each scheme to know if you're truly eligible for it. These include:

• The complete list of eligibility conditions
• The quota or allocation of flats
• Other things to take note of, like the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP)
• The documents you need to prepare when applying for each HDB priority scheme

1. Family and Parenthood Priority Scheme (FPPS)

For young married couples and growing families who need a bigger place to stay, the Family and Parenthood Priority Scheme (PPS) is the answer to their prayers. Previously known as the Parenthood Priority Scheme (PPS), this HDB priority scheme helps them acquire a home more easily as a large share of BTO and SBF flats are earmarked for eligible applicants.

Flat allocation

For BTO flats, a maximum of 40 per cent of the launched units is set aside for those who qualify for the scheme. For SBF flats, up to 60 per cent is allocated.

Who qualifies for this scheme?

First-time applicants consisting of a married couple, who are either expecting their first Singapore Citizen (SC) child at the time of application or have at least one SC child aged 18 years old or below. The child must be a natural offspring or legally adopted by the married couple.

With the expanded FPPS, those who qualify under the First-Timer (Parents & Married Couples) priority category will also qualify for this HDB priority scheme.

You're eligible to apply under the FT (PMC) if you meet the following criteria:

• You're applying as a family with at least one SC child aged 18 and below, or a married couple aged 40 and below
• Have never owned or sold a residential property before
• Did not have a chance to book a BTO or SBF flat in the last five years before the flat application

Under the FPPS, those applying under the FT (PMC) will also be given first priority if they apply for a four-room or smaller BTO flat in a non-mature estate. This means they stand a higher chance of being invited to book a flat.

The expanded FPPS will take effect from the September 2023 BTO exercise onwards, as the upcoming launch has been delayed from August.

Moreover, if you apply for the Third Child Priority Scheme (TCPS) and/or Married Child Priority Scheme (MCPS), the balloting will be held separately for each HDB priority scheme. For instance, a married couple with three children qualifies for both FPPS and TCPS. The application will first be balloted among TCPS applicants. If they are not drawn, they will be included in the ballot under FPPS.

Additional documents you need to prepare

The application for these HDB priority schemes occurs when you submit an online application for a BTO/ SBF flat. If you've secured a queue number to select a flat, HDB will inform you of the documents you need.

In general, you'll need to provide your NRIC.

For FPPS, you'll also need to provide either your child's birth certificate or a doctor's certification of pregnancy.

2. Multi-Generation Priority Scheme (MGPS)

Parents who wish to live near their loved ones will find that the Multi-Generation Priority Scheme (MGPS) will help them and their married child's family purchase BTO and SBF flats within the same precinct. There must, however, be a mix of two-room Flexi or three-room flats available in the project.

Flat allocation

At least 20 units or a maximum of 15 per cent of two-room Flexi or three-room flats are set aside for parents. The same number of two-room Flexi flats or bigger units is allocated for married child households.

Who qualifies for this scheme?

Parents must submit a joint application with their married child's family to qualify for this HDB priority scheme. The parents can only buy a two-room Flexi flat or three-room flat, while the married child's family can purchase a two-room Flexi or a bigger unit.

If the application is successful, both parents and married child will be given the chance to select units from a pool of pre-chosen flats in the project.

An important point to note is that the two sets of families who qualify for MGPS will receive a total of three queue numbers: One for MGPS and two under the Public Scheme.

The MGPS queue number will allow them to jointly pick their flats, while the Public Scheme queue numbers obtained by each household will let them select a unit separately as Public Scheme applicants.

Contingent on the ballot results, the two households can either choose the flats together under MGPS, or separately under the Public Scheme.

Additional documents you need to prepare

On top of NRIC, the documents you need to provide if you've applied under MGPS include:

• Your birth certificate
• Your parents' marriage certificate

3. Married Child Priority Scheme (MCPS)

The Married Child Priority Scheme (MCPS) is open to both first-time and second-time applicant families who want to live with or near their parents/ married children.

Engaged couples with similar aspirations can also apply for this scheme. Whether you plan to live with your parents under one roof or close to them in the same area, here are the eligibility criteria you need to comply with.

Flat allocation

For first-time homebuyer families, a maximum of 30 per cent of BTO or SBF flats are set aside for the scheme's qualified applicants.

For second-time homebuyer families, only up to five per cent* of BTO flats and a maximum of three per cent for SBF units are set aside for the scheme's qualified applicants.

(*Previously, it was 15 per cent for second-timers applying for BTO. The change took effect from the August 2022 BTO onwards.)

Quota of units given priority under MCPS

Note that the quota is lower for PLH projects and depends on the respective projects. As of this update, the MCPS quota set aside for PLH projects launched so far is 20 per cent for first-timers and two per cent for second-timers, which is two-thirds of the usual quotas.

For a BTO application under the MCPS, the first priority within the quota is given to families jointly applying to purchase the same flat. So this group has a higher chance of securing a home than those buying a flat near their parents/ married child's family.

Parents who wish to relocate from a mature estate to a non-mature one so that they can live near their married child's home will also get first priority. As such, parents who already live in a non-mature estate but want to move to a different non-mature estate get lower priority.

Another thing to note is that the available quota prioritises applicants who are qualified for the first priority, while the leftover quota will be used for the other applicants.

Who qualifies for this scheme?

For those purchasing a flat to live with parents/ married child:

• At least one of the parents or married child is a Singapore Citizen or Singapore Permanent Resident (PR).
• The parents and married child must be registered as flat occupants.

For those buying a flat near the home of parents/ married child:

• At least one of the parents or married child is a Singapore Citizen or Singapore Permanent Resident.
• The parents or the married child's family is applying to buy a flat in a project, in which the closest block is within four kilometres from the home (HDB or private property) of either the parents or married child.

Remember, if the parents or married child owns more than one house, the one they live in will be used for calculating the distance. If neither household owns the private housing, the property must be held under the name of an immediate family member, such as siblings, children, parent(s), or parent(s)-in-law.

Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) requirement

For those purchasing a flat to live with parents/ married child:

After receiving the keys to your new flat, the parents or married child who assisted you in qualifying for the HDB priority scheme must live with you in the property during the five-year MOP (or 10-year MOP if it's a PLH project).

For those buying a flat near the home of parents/ married child:

Likewise, after receiving the keys to your new flat, the parents or married child who assisted you in qualifying for the scheme must continue to live within four kilometres of your new home within the five-year MOP.

Previously, the distance requirement was within two kilometres or within the same town for applications received for the February 2018 launches or earlier.

Additional documents you need to prepare

Like the MGPS, you need to provide the following additional documents:

• Your birth certificate
• Your parents' marriage certificate

4. Third Child Priority Scheme (TCPS)

As your kids grow up, personal space will start becoming an issue. And no parent wants to deal with their children fighting over who gets their own room.

Fortunately, there is the Third Child Priority Scheme (TCPS). This scheme increases your chance of getting picked as your application will undergo up to two rounds of balloting.

The first round will be under TCPS. But if it is not successful, your application will again be balloted along with the other public applicants.

Flat allocation

A maximum of five per cent of BTO or SBF flats.

Who qualifies for this scheme?

• For married couples, at least one of you must be a Singapore Citizen.
• For those who are widowed or divorced, the applicant needs to be a Singapore Citizen.
• Your family must have at least three children (natural offspring from a legal marriage or legal adoption). For divorce or divorcees, you must have legal custody, care and control of your kids.
• The third child must be a Singapore Citizen. The other kids can be either a Singapore Citizen or Singapore PR.
• You must not have previously purchased a flat under TCPS.

Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) requirement

All three children that helped you qualify for this HDB priority scheme must continue to live with you in the new flat during the five-year MOP.

During this period, they are not eligible to submit any application or be listed as an occupier to buy a flat from the HDB or resale market, or an EC unit from the developer. They also cannot rent an HDB flat.

5. Assistance Scheme for Second-Timers (ASSIST)

The Assistance Scheme for Second-Timers (ASSIST) is meant for second-time applicants consisting of divorced or widowed parents with children.

Flat allocation

This is up to five per cent of two-room Flexi and three-room BTO flats in non-mature estates. But the quota is shared with the 15 per cent quota allocated for all other second-time applicants (e.g. not divorced or widowed).

Who qualifies for this scheme?

Second-timer applicants comprising divorced or widowed parents must have at least one child aged 18 or below (natural offspring from a legal marriage or legal adoption).

You must not have acquired any stake in an HDB flat or private housing, except for the matrimonial flat or property after the date of divorce/ separation or death of your spouse.

6. Tenants' Priority Scheme (TPS)

The Tenants' Priority Scheme (TPS) helps HDB flat renters purchase their homes.

Flat allocation

A maximum of 10 per cent of two-room Flexi and three-room BTO/SBF flats.

The TPS quota is also shared with families that are applying under the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS) Relocation and Resettlement scheme.

Who qualifies for this scheme?

• Households that have been residing in a HDB public rental flat for a minimum of two years.

7. Senior Priority Scheme (SPS)

It's sad when senior citizens have to leave behind the community they have called home for decades. It means leaving behind neighbours they have come to call friends and living far from shops they frequent.

Fortunately for them, with the Senior Priority Scheme (SPS), they are given priority to purchase two-room Flexi flats close to where the heart is.

Flat allocation

A minimum of 40 per cent (or a minimum of 100 units for BTO projects) of two-room Flexi flats available during sales launches will be allocated for seniors. Of this, half will be set aside for qualified seniors under SPS.

Who qualifies for this scheme?

Senior citizens who wish to buy a flat near their current home or to live with/ close to their parents or married child will benefit from this scheme.

There are two sets of eligibility criteria to fulfil in applying for this HDB priority scheme.

For those buying a flat to age-in-place (near existing home):

• The new two-room Flexi flat must be within four kilometres of your current flat or owner-occupied private housing.

For those buying a flat to live with or near parents/ married child:

• You must be married
• At least one of the senior's parents or married child is a Singapore Citizen or Singaporean PR.
• For those buying a flat to live with parents or a married child, their names must be included in the application.
• For those buying a flat to live near their parents or married child, the senior must be applying to buy a new two-room Flexi flat in a project, in which the closest block is within four kilometres from the home (HDB or private property) of either the parents or married child.

On top of that, if the parents or married child owns more than one house, the one which they live in will be used for calculating the distance.

If neither household owns the private property, the property used to calculate the distance must be held under the name of an immediate family member, such as siblings, children, parent(s), or parent(s)-in-law.

Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) requirement

For those buying a flat to live with/ near parents/ married child:

After receiving the keys to your new flat, the parents or married child who assisted you in qualifying for the scheme must continue to live within four kilometres of your new home within the five-year MOP.

Previously, the distance requirement was within two kilometres or within the same town for applications received in February 2018 or earlier.

What if you're eligible for more than one of the HDB priority schemes?

It's possible that you're eligible to apply under several schemes. However, note that HDB only allows you to apply for up to two priority schemes.

For instance, if you're a married couple with three children, you can apply under both the TCP and FPPS schemes. As explained earlier, your application will first be balloted under the TCP scheme with other TCP applicants. If the application is unsuccessful, it will again be balloted under the FPPS.

Good luck with your BTO application!

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