Pensions for retired civil servants

Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on pensions for retired civil servants

Parliamentary Sitting Date: 21 January 2008

Ms Sylvia Lim: To ask the Minister for Defence (a) how many former civil servants are currently receiving pensions in their retirement, segmented by the size of the monthly pensions in $300 intervals; (b) of these, how many are entitled to dependents’ benefits, and the nature of those benefits; and (c) of those with dependents’ benefits, whether such benefits survive the death of the pensioners.

Written Reply (for the Prime Minister) by Mr Teo Chee Hean, Minister in charge of the Civil Service and Minister for Defence:

As at 10 Jan 2008, there were 18,181 civil service pensioners receiving monthly pensions. 

We do not usually capture pension data by interval segments, and have extracted the data by intervals of $1,000. If data is required in finer interval segments for a specific purpose, we will consider putting in the resources to extract and provide the data. The distribution of pensioners by monthly pension, in $1,000 intervals, is as follows:

A dependant refers to the wife of a male pensioner and to children below 18 years of age for a male pensioner. Children below 18 years of age of female pensioners who are sole breadwinners such as widows and divorcees are also deemed as dependents. Dependants of pensioners are eligible for medical benefits only, based on the medical benefits scheme of the pensioner. Dependants do not receive separate pension payments or other benefits from the Government.  Of the 18,181 pensioners, 9,092 currently have dependants who are receiving medical benefits.

 
The medical benefits for dependants cease when the pensioner passes away. It does not survive the death of the pensioner.