More lower-income Singapore residents to benefit from increased thresholds for legal aid from Oct 1

The changes will allow more households to benefit from legal assistance and enhance access to justice for those in need, the ministry said.

ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

Published Sep 30, 2026, 02:03 PM

Updated Sep 30, 2026, 02:03 PM

SINGAPORE – More lower-income Singapore residents will be able to benefit from legal assistance from Oct 1, when the income threshold for civil legal aid is increased.

The Ministry of Law (MinLaw) said in a statement on Sept 30 that the asset threshold for both civil legal aid and criminal defence aid will also be raised .

The per capita household income (PCHI) threshold for civil legal aid will be raised from $1,050 to $1,650 , MinLaw said, bringing it in alignment with the current PCHI threshold for criminal defence aid .

Up to 1,000 more Singaporeans and PRs are expected to benefit annually from this increase , the ministry said.

The three most common categories of civil legal aid cases are matrimonial matters, monetary claims and probate matters.

Additionally, from Oct 1 , the bank savings and non-CPF investments threshold for applicants below 60 years old will rise from $10,000 to $12,000 for both civil legal aid and criminal defence aid.

For those 60 years old or older, the threshold will be raised from $40,000 to $42,000 .

These changes, which were first announced during the debate on the ministry’s budget earlier in March , will allow more households to benefit from legal assistance and enhance access to justice for those in need, MinLaw said.

Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Law Eric Chua had said during the debate that raising the bank savings and non-CPF investments threshold will account for rising household incomes .

This will ensure that the truly needy remain eligible , he added.

To qualify for government legal aid, applicants must pass both the means and merits tests.

The PCHI threshold was last adjusted in 2022 and 2024 to account for the increase in household income over the years, the ministry said in its Sept 30 statement, adding that it will continue to review the means test thresholds regularly.

Applicants with extenuating circumstances will continue to be reviewed by an independent means test panel comprising legal and social service professionals, MinLaw said.

Vulnerable and lower-income Singaporeans and PRs can receive legal aid through the Legal Aid Bureau (LAB) and the Public Defender’s Office (PDO).

LAB provides civil legal aid with the support of volunteer lawyers, while the PDO co-delivers criminal defence aid with Pro Bono SG, which administers the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme.

More information on applying for civil legal aid is available on the LAB website , while details about the criminal defence aid can be found on the PDO’s website .

Daniel Lai is a journalist at the ST Now team, covering breaking news and international affairs.

Legal services sector

该部表示，这些改变将使更多家庭受益于法律援助，并增强有需要的人获得司法救济的途径。

ST 照片：林耀辉

发布于 2026 年 9 月 30 日下午 2:03

更新于2026年9月30日下午2:03

新加坡——从10月1日起，更多低收入的新加坡居民将能够获得法律援助，因为民事法律援助的收入门槛将提高。

律政部9月30日发表声明称，民事法律援助和刑事辩护援助的资产门槛也将提高。

律政部表示，民事法律援助的人均家庭收入门槛将从 1,050 美元提高到 1,650 美元，使其与目前刑事辩护援助的人均家庭收入门槛保持一致。

该部表示，预计每年将有多达 1000 名新加坡公民和永久居民受益于这项增长。

民事法律援助案件中最常见的三类是婚姻案件、金钱索赔案件和遗嘱认证案件。

此外，从 10 月 1 日起，60 岁以下申请人的银行储蓄和非公积金投资门槛将从 10,000 新元提高到 12,000 新元，用于民事法律援助和刑事辩护援助。

对于 60 岁及以上的人来说，门槛将从 4 万美元提高到 4.2 万美元。

律政部表示，这些改革措施最早于3月初在律政部预算辩论中宣布，将使更多家庭受益于法律援助，并增强有需要人士获得司法救济的途径。

律政司高级政务次长蔡志强在辩论中表示，提高银行储蓄和非公积金投资门槛将考虑到家庭收入的增长。

他补充说，这将确保真正需要帮助的人仍然有资格获得援助。

要获得政府法律援助，申请人必须通过经济状况和案情两项测试。

该部在9月30日的声明中表示，PCHI门槛最近一次调整是在2022年和2024年，以反映多年来家庭收入的增长，并补充说，将继续定期审查收入测试门槛。

律政部表示，有特殊情况的申请人将继续由一个独立的经济状况调查小组进行审查，该小组由法律和社会服务专业人士组成。

弱势群体和低收入新加坡公民及永久居民可通过法律援助局 (LAB) 和公共辩护人办公室 (PDO) 获得法律援助。

法律援助机构 (LAB) 在志愿律师的支持下提供民事法律援助，而公共辩护律师办公室 (PDO) 与新加坡公益法律援助机构 (Pro Bono SG) 共同提供刑事辩护援助，后者负责管理刑事法律援助计划。

有关申请民事法律援助的更多信息可在 LAB 网站上找到，而有关刑事辩护援助的详细信息可在 PDO 网站上找到。

Daniel Lai 是 ST Now 团队的记者，负责报道突发新闻和国际事务。

法律服务行业