The Silver Housing Bonus gives seniors in Punggol a cash bonus of up to $40,000 when they sell their flat, buy a 3-room or smaller flat, add up to $60,000 net to their CPF Retirement Account and join CPF LIFE. The Lease Buyback Scheme lets you stay and sell part of your lease to HDB.
Moving to a smaller home later in life is as much about feelings as it is about money. There is no rush, and it is worth talking through as a family.
This page is part of eduKate Punggol’s When You Need Help in Punggol, our practical guides for life’s occasions, big and small. It compares the two HDB routes for turning part of your flat’s value into retirement income, the smaller-flat options for seniors, and how to start.
Quick answer
- Move to a smaller flat: the Silver Housing Bonus (SHB) pays up to $40,000 in cash from 1 December 2025, if you buy a 3-room or smaller flat, commit to a net Retirement Account increase of up to $60,000 and join CPF LIFE.
- Stay where you are: the Lease Buyback Scheme (LBS) lets you sell part of your flat’s lease to HDB, top up your Retirement Account for higher CPF LIFE payouts, and receive a cash bonus of up to $30,000.
- Smaller homes for seniors: short-lease 2-room Flexi flats and Community Care Apartments, which come with grab bars and senior-friendly features.
- No loan for short-lease flats: the full price is paid from your CPF Ordinary Account or cash.
- Start here: CPF’s “What Happens If” tool and Retirement Payout Planner, then HDB’s Guide for Seniors. Check eligibility on HDB’s official pages.
How to Plan a Right-Size Move
Work through these steps before you list the flat or sign anything.
- Decide whether you want to move or stay. The Silver Housing Bonus is for moving to a smaller flat. The Lease Buyback Scheme is for staying in your current flat.
- Check your CPF numbers. Use the “What Happens If” section of your CPF Home ownership dashboard to see your housing refund, and CPF’s Retirement Payout Planner to see what extra monthly income each option could give.
- Check eligibility on HDB’s pages. The schemes have rules on age, flat type and property value. We found these stated differently in different places, so rely on HDB’s current pages rather than a summary.
- Look at the next home. Compare a 3-room flat, a short-lease 2-room Flexi flat and a Community Care Apartment. If you want to stay near family, ask about the Senior Priority Scheme.
- Budget without a loan. CPF says you will not be eligible for any housing loan for a Community Care Apartment or a short-lease 2-room Flexi flat.
- Talk to HDB. Book an appointment at HDB’s Punggol Branch to go through your options before you sell.
- Sell through the normal resale steps. Right-sizing uses the usual Intent to Sell, Option to Purchase and completion process, set out in our guide to selling your Punggol HDB flat.
Where to Go and Who to Call
Most of the groundwork can be done online with Singpass. Bring a family member if the screens feel fiddly.
| Who or what | Where and how | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| HDB Punggol Branch (ServiceSG Centre) | 1 Punggol Drive, One Punggol #01-01, Singapore 828629. Book through HDB’s e-Appointment service first. | Asking about the Silver Housing Bonus, Lease Buyback and flats for seniors. |
| MyNiceHome: HDB Guide for Seniors | Online at mynicehome.gov.sg | An overview of senior housing options and both schemes. |
| CPF Board online tools | cpf.gov.sg, with Singpass | “What Happens If” refund check, Retirement Payout Planner and CPF LIFE estimates. |
| HDB Lease Buyback terms and conditions | PDF on hdb.gov.sg (version dated December 2025) | The 2026 top-up amounts, bonus rules and conditions. |
Checked October 2026 — confirm on the official page before you go: HDB Guide for Seniors, CPF: monetising your flat and the LBS terms and conditions.
Which Situation Fits You
You love your flat and want to stay
The Lease Buyback Scheme lets eligible seniors sell part of their flat’s lease back to HDB while carrying on living there. The proceeds top up your Retirement Account for higher CPF LIFE payouts, and any proceeds above the required top-up are paid to you in cash. The trade-off is that an LBS flat cannot be sold on the open market later.
You want a smaller, easier home
The Silver Housing Bonus is meant for this route; check its own eligibility rules on HDB’s pages. For the next home, MyNiceHome says that if you are 55 or older, you can buy a 2-room Flexi flat with a shorter lease of between 15 and 45 years, in 5-year steps, as long as it covers you and your spouse until at least age 95. These flats come with grab bars installed.
You may need care support later
Community Care Apartments come with care services that can be scaled to your needs, and a wheelchair-accessible bathroom with slip-resistant flooring and grab bars. HDB and CPF pages state the minimum age differently, so check HDB’s Guide for Seniors for the current rule.
You want to stay near your children
HDB’s Senior Priority Scheme is for seniors who wish to buy a flat near their existing home. Ask about it at your HDB appointment, especially if your family is in Punggol and you want to stay close.
You are helping a parent decide
Let them lead. Sit with them through the CPF tools, write down the questions for HDB, and go to the appointment together. It is also a good moment to talk about a Lasting Power of Attorney.
How the Silver Housing Bonus and Lease Buyback Work
Silver Housing Bonus
From 1 December 2025, the bonus was enhanced to up to $40,000 in cash, from up to $30,000 before. CPF explains that the extra $10,000 goes to seniors moving to a 2-room or smaller flat. The amount you get depends on factors such as the flat type and the required top-up to your Retirement Account.
You commit to a net increase of up to $60,000 in your Retirement Account after right-sizing, and you join CPF LIFE. Since the enhancement, CPF says you may no longer need to make a cash top-up if the amount comes from your CPF housing refunds. Some private property owners may also qualify, subject to an annual value limit. We have not quoted the age or property value limits, because the official pages we checked either did not state them or did not agree; please check them on HDB’s pages.
Lease Buyback Scheme
HDB’s terms for applications from January to December 2026 set the bonus, paid once per household:
| Flat type | LBS bonus |
|---|---|
| 3-room or smaller | Up to $30,000 |
| 4-room | Up to $15,000 |
| 5-room or larger | Up to $7,500 |
The full bonus needs a total Retirement Account and MediSave top-up of at least $60,000; below that, it is pro-rated. The required Retirement Account top-up for 2026 ranges from $200,400 to $220,400 for a sole owner, and from $100,200 to $110,200 for each owner where there are two or more, depending on age. These amounts follow the Full Retirement Sum, so they change each year.
An owner below 80 must join CPF LIFE if they have at least $60,000 in the Retirement Account after the top-up. After an LBS sale, owners wait 5 years before applying for another subsidised HDB flat, and they bear their own legal and other costs, though they may apply to use CPF for them.
Neighbour’s Tips
- Run the numbers before you fall for a flat. Your CPF refund and Retirement Account top-up decide how much cash is left, so check them first.
- Plan the next flat without a loan. Short-lease 2-room Flexi flats and Community Care Apartments are paid for with CPF Ordinary Account savings or cash only.
- Choose the lease with your spouse in mind. MyNiceHome says the 2-room Flexi lease must cover you both until at least age 95.
- Think hard about selling later. An LBS flat cannot be sold on the open market, which matters if your plans might change.
- Use the current year’s terms. LBS top-up figures follow the Full Retirement Sum, so a friend’s figures from an earlier year may not apply to you.
- Get help with the online steps. Our guide to free digital help for seniors lists free help with phones and apps.
If Money Is Tight Right Now
Right-sizing takes months. If you or an older parent cannot afford basic living costs today, please do not wait for a sale. Call the ComCare Hotline on 1800-222-0000 (7am to midnight daily), or MSF’s consolidated hotline 1800-111-2222 (say “ComCare”). Our guide to ComCare and financial help in Punggol explains what support is available.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the Silver Housing Bonus?
Up to $40,000 in cash from 1 December 2025. The amount depends on the flat type and the required top-up to your Retirement Account.
Do I need to top up my CPF in cash to get it?
CPF says that since 1 December 2025 you may no longer need a cash top-up if the amount comes from your CPF housing refunds.
What is the difference between the Silver Housing Bonus and Lease Buyback?
The Silver Housing Bonus is for selling and moving to a 3-room or smaller flat. Lease Buyback is for staying in your current flat and selling part of its lease to HDB. Both top up your Retirement Account and involve CPF LIFE.
Who is eligible?
Both schemes have rules on age, property and occupation. The figures we found on official pages did not all agree, so please check HDB’s current pages or ask at your HDB appointment.
Can I take a loan for a short-lease flat?
No. CPF says you will not be eligible for any housing loan for a Community Care Apartment or a short-lease 2-room Flexi flat.
Can I sell an LBS flat later?
Not on the open market. HDB’s terms say the owners are not allowed to sell the LBS flat on the open market.
More Help on eduKate Punggol
- CPF for housing, retirement, CPF LIFE and nominations
- CPF retirement sums and CPF LIFE in 2026
- CPF housing refunds explained
- Benefits for Punggol seniors
- LPA, wills and advance care planning
- Official: HDB Guide for Seniors · CPF: right-sizing as a senior · CPF: what is the Lease Buyback Scheme
A Home That Fits This Stage
Right-sizing is not giving something up. Done well, it means a home that is easier to keep, money that lasts longer, and perhaps a shorter walk to the grandchildren. Take your time, check the official figures, and make the choice that feels right for you.
And if your family is also looking for calm, small-group English, Mathematics or Science, eduKate Punggol teaches classes of three in Punggol. Come find out more: Book a consultation · Chat on WhatsApp
eduKate Punggol
Small-group English, Mathematics and Science
Primary and Secondary
By appointment · +65 8823 1234
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Checked October 2026. Addresses, opening hours, fees and rules change, so please confirm with the official source before you go.
