HDB EASE Grant: Elderly-Friendly Fittings & Cost

If you are making an HDB flat safer for an ageing parent, the single cheapest way to do it is HDB’s Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE) programme. HDB describes it simply: it “subsidises items installed in your flat to improve mobility and safety within the flat.” The subsidy is large — up to 95% of the cost — and the list of fittings grew from three to eleven when EASE 2.0 launched on 1 April 2024. The one thing to get straight first: EASE is a subsidy you co-pay a small share of, not a cash grant that lands in your account. This guide covers who qualifies, every item, what you actually pay by flat type, and how to apply. If this is part of a bigger refresh, pair it with the first-time renovation guide.

What the EASE subsidy actually is

EASE pays most of the bill for senior-friendly fittings and asks you to pay a small percentage based on your flat type. It began in July 2012 and is “offered as part of the Home Improvement Programme (HIP),” though eligible households can also apply directly without waiting for HIP. The Government covers “up to 95% of the cost,” and you pay “between 5% to 12.5% of the cost, depending on their flat type.” For a senior living in a public rental flat, HDB states the “EASE improvement items will be fully funded by the Government” — nothing to pay.

Who qualifies for EASE

Eligibility is about age and need, not income. For EASE (Direct Application), HDB says a Singapore Citizen flat owner qualifies “if a family member in the household: is 65 years old and above; or aged between 60 and 64 years and requires assistance for one or more of the Activities of Daily Living (ADL).” The six ADLs are “washing/ bathing, dressing, feeding, toileting, mobility, and transferring.”

The practical split is this: if someone in the household is 65 or older, you simply apply. If the qualifying member is 60 to 64, you must show a care need — HDB requires “a Functional Assessment Report… endorsed by a qualified assessor such as a Singapore Medical Council fully registered doctor,” submitted with the application.

The 11 fittings EASE covers

Since EASE 2.0, you can choose any combination of eleven items, grouped by purpose. HDB and the Agency for Integrated Care list them as:

Fall prevention and support

• Grab bars (linear, fixed U-profile, or the newer foldable U-profile) — a first set of 8 or 10 for one toilet, a second set of 6 for a second toilet where feasible.
• Slip-resistant treatment to the existing floor tiles of up to two bathrooms/toilets.
• Lowering of a toilet/bathroom entrance kerb.
• Wall-mounted foldable shower seat.
• Handrail at a main entrance that has steps.

For wheelchair or commode users

• Widening of a toilet/bathroom entrance.
• Ramps — single-step, portable or customised — up to a maximum of five within the flat and/or at the main entrance, plus a wheelchair lifter for multi-step entrances.

Safety and well-being

• Bidet spray next to the toilet pan (up to two).
• Rocker switches (a set of up to 12) to replace small light switches.
• A Home Fire Alarm Device in the living room.

A few conditions apply across the board. Every item “come[s] with a 1-year warranty and can only be installed where technically feasible.” HDB “will determine the type of grab bars… based on considerations such as the configuration of each toilet, other site conditions, resident’s needs, and Occupational Therapist’s advice,” and notes that “1 U-profile grab bar is equivalent to 2 linear grab bars.” The slip-resistant treatment “may last about 3 to 5 years” and should not be washed with acidic solutions such as bleach, which strips it faster.

What you actually pay

Your share depends on flat type: 5% for 1/2/3-room, 7.5% for 4-room, 10% for 5-room and 12.5% for Executive (and Executive Maisonette). The table below shows HDB’s current amounts payable, inclusive of GST, for the most-chosen items.

Flat owner’s share for a first-toilet set of grab bars (full cost S$523.20 before subsidy). Source: HDB EASE, November 2026.

Source: HDB, Enhancement for Active Seniors — subsidised cost, amounts inclusive of GST, November 2026.

You pay “in cash or via electronic payment to the Contractors upon completion of the installation works.” You only pay for the items you pick — gov.sg notes residents “pay as low as 5% of the cost of the fittings they have chosen.”

How to apply

There are three routes, per HDB and AIC: opt in when your block undergoes HIP with EASE; apply online through the EASE (Direct Application) e-Service on HDB InfoWEB; or apply via the Mobile@HDB app. Direct Application exists precisely for people who “require fittings… before HIP commences, or whose blocks do not qualify for HIP.”

The process is quick. After you apply with the needed documents, “the HDB Branch managing your estate will reply to you within 7 working days,” then HDB staff or an appointed contractor arranges a pre-condition survey and installation date. HDB says you “may expect the process… to be completed within a month,” and the physical works for a typical set of items “take at least 2 days.” Questions go to HDB’s Branch Service Line on 1800-225-5432, weekdays 8am–5pm.

If you still can’t afford the co-payment

The shares are small, but help exists if even those are a stretch. HDB advises: “You may approach a social service agency (SSA) to seek financial assistance. You will need to submit relevant information to the agency to conduct means testing, and financial assistance is subject to the meeting of criteria.” Seniors in public rental flats, as noted, pay nothing. For the wider rules that govern any HDB works alongside EASE, see the HDB renovation permit guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is EASE a cash grant? No. EASE is a subsidy: HDB’s contractor installs the fittings and you pay only your flat-type share (5% to 12.5%) of the cost. There is no cash payout.

Who is eligible for EASE? A Singapore Citizen household with a member aged 65 or above, or aged 60–64 and needing help with at least one activity of daily living. The 60–64 route requires a Functional Assessment Report endorsed by a registered doctor.

How much does EASE cost me? You pay 5% (1/2/3-room), 7.5% (4-room), 10% (5-room) or 12.5% (Executive) of each item’s cost, inclusive of GST. A first-toilet set of grab bars, for example, is S$26.15 to S$65.40 depending on flat type.

How do I apply and how long does it take? Apply during your block’s HIP, through the EASE (Direct Application) e-Service on HDB InfoWEB, or via the Mobile@HDB app. HDB replies within 7 working days, and installation is usually done within about a month.

Can I choose only one or two items? Yes. You pick any combination of the eleven items and pay only for what you choose; items are installed only where technically feasible.

Related

• First-time renovation: the full guide
• Flooring cost in Singapore
• HDB bathroom waterproofing rules
• HDB renovation permit guide

General information only, not financial or medical advice. EASE eligibility, items and subsidised costs are set by HDB and can change — confirm the current details with HDB before you apply.