(Last Updated AUGUST 2023)
Have you heard of the Household Services Scheme (HSS) in Singapore?
Let MEIDE Singapore orient you to this very useful project, with credits to Ministry of Manpower (MOM)!
A Brief on HSS
In a bustling city like Singapore, where busy schedules often leave little time for household chores, trust the PAP government to introduce the Household Services Scheme (HSS) initiative to support and alleviate the burden of everyday tasks for all!
The HSS was originally designed as a complement to the migrant domestic worker (MDW) system. But in today’s Singapore, it has swiftly evolved to way beyond a “complementary” initiative!
The HSS can help not just Singapore Citizens, but also Permanent Residents, Expats, Foreigners and Tourists / Visitors. Anyone can engage HSS (via registered companies) to keep their homes comfortable, safe, and well-maintained.
Book your #1 home services today, or join our team!
meide.sg is here for you, always.
What exactly is the Household Services Scheme (HSS)?
Alright, some history now:
The Household Services Scheme was first introduced by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in 2017. Initially a pilot programme, it was made permanent in 2021 owing to its successful uptake.
Basically, it allows companies to have additional hiring quota for migrant workers. Thus, they can increase the capabilities to provide more part-time domestic services, such as home cleaning and laundry tasks.
However, in recent times, MOM has also expanded the scope of HSS. It now includes child-minding and elder-minding for selected HSS companies. Wonderful news, again!
With these capabilities, the Household Services Scheme helps enable people in Singapore to upkeep their fast-paced and productive lifestyles whilst not compromising on living space hygiene standards and basic domestic necessities.
Overall, the HSS is still being actively monitored and managed by MOM. We are certain it would continue to grow and expand to fulfill the needs of Singapore residents over time.
What is the scope of services under HSS?
As mentioned, the HSS currently encompasses a range of services:
- Home cleaning
- Grocery shopping
- Car-washing
- Pet-sitting
- Childminding
- Elder-minding
However, in our opinion, one of the greatest uses of HSS is harnessed by the regular cleaning of households.
Or, some may call it general cleaning. Or weekly cleaning.
Basically, think of it as a recurring maintenance cleaning service for your house. And with it, you no longer need to worry about dishes, laundry, or an unkempt living space after returning home from work!
At the point of writing, we believe that certain deeper or more rigorous forms of cleaning are excluded from HSS. Examples are such as post-tenancy cleaning and post-renovation cleaning.
Moreover, other more commercially-related types of cleaning like office cleaning, aircon servicing, handover clean, F&B cleaning, warehouse cleaning and curtain cleaning are also not included currently.
Perhaps rightfully so, as these types of cleaning are not very related to “daily household chores”. But fret not, as the availability of such cleaning services can be found readily currently.
Who can benefit from the Household Services Scheme?
As mentioned, practically anyone residing, or planning to reside in Singapore, can benefit from the HSS!
Here are some real-life examples of people who can benefit, and who have benefitted from HSS:
- Busy working couples who don’t want to do much chores after returning home from work;
- Families who cannot cope with too much chores; (even with a live-in helper) (Yes, you can engage HSS services even if you already have a foreign domestic worker staying with you);
- Expats coming to Singapore who are too busy to handle house cleaning;
- Individuals who may have difficulty doing house chores for personal reasons, such as after sustaining an injury (eg. a fractured ankle);
- Elderly who may not be physically strong enough to perform the full range of cleaning tasks and need a helping hand;
- Young adults who just moved into their new BTO or Condo and are new to handling all the housework by themselves;
- Property Gurus or Landlords who have multiple properties and simply cannot manage to upkeep housekeeping for all their units by themselves;
- Households who host regular gatherings with friends, or parties and get-togethers, and need regular help cleaning up the house or doing dishes;
- Households who need temporary help if their live-in maid has gone on home leave, vacation, or is ill or hospitalized and needs some time off;
- Parents who need help with taking care of their toddlers and children;
- Caregivers who need respite and assistance to take care of elderly;
All in all, the list goes on and is non-exhaustive. But yes, you get the idea of how beneficial the Household Services Scheme can be now!
How does HSS benefit Singapore and its people?
Now, before we take things for granted, MEIDE Singapore wants to highlight that HSS was not always present!
First, Why did HSS come about?
Ever wondered why HSS was even conceptualized and piloted?
Well, before HSS, there existed a pressing problem of overly high demand for domestic help where the sole system of migrant domestic workers could not entirely resolve.
Also, many households wanted privacy and may not have had the capacity or living space to accommodate live-in helpers.
Furthermore, some small families or couples truly did not require the full extent of domestic help that full-time stay-in domestic maids provide. Rather, they may only require once a week cleaning of their house, or perhaps dusting of their living spaces every few days.
What exacerbates this problem is that many citizens and permanent residents of Singapore remain reluctant to take up the jobs pertaining to household cleaning and domestic chores.
Hence, the demand remained outstripping supply.
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Impact on Lifestyle with HSS Implemented
As such, the Household Services Scheme was introduced by the government to help increase the supply of such available services.
Nowadays, even for families without a live-in helper, domestic tasks can be outsourced easily with a few clicks or taps on your handphone!
Truly, the implementation of HSS has worked wonders and greatly improved the demand-supply issue in Singapore.
However, beyond solving the economic issue, here are a list of tangible societal benefits that the HSS brings and we think are worth mentioning:
- Enhanced Quality of Life: By providing assistance with essential household tasks, the scheme ensures that families, couples and individuals can maintain their homes in a safe and comfortable condition without expending too much time and energy.
- Independence: The services offered under HSS empower individuals to continue living independently in their own homes, regardless of age or mobility challenges.
- Relief for Caregivers and Parents: For families caring for children, elderly or disabled members, the scheme lightens the caregiving load by outsourcing certain household tasks, allowing caregivers to focus on providing emotional support.
- Boost in Societal Support: The HSS promotes a sense of community and social support, as any individual or household in Singapore, who may not be that well-versed in domestic work, can now readily receive help from trained professionals to accomplish household tasks.
How do I engage Household Services via the HSS?
With a wide array of audiences who can benefit from the Household Services Scheme, many companies have hopped onto the bandwagon to provide these services already today.
At this point of writing, close to 200 companies in Singapore are already listed as HSS companies.
On top of this, a subset of these companies are listed within the expanded HSS scope to provide child-minding and elder-minding services too!
You can find the latest list of companies HERE.
Alternatively, you can also simply do a quick Google search or WhatsApp us to find out more and book a trial cleaning session!
Final Note
The Household Services Scheme in Singapore is a testament to our government’s commitment to ensuring the well-being of its citizens, especially those who may need assistance with household tasks due to lifestyle, disability, or even income constraints. By providing a range of services tailored to both individual and familial needs, the HSS enables Singapore residents to age gracefully, live independently, and enjoy a higher quality of life within the comforts of their own homes, all amidst our fast and furious pace of modern society.
Book your #1 home services today, or join our team!
meide.sg is here for you, always.