Measuring needs and setting standards in Singapore

Abstract

This chapter reports the first “Minimum Income Standards” (MIS) study completed in Singapore, which focused on the needs of older people in order to establish a “basic standard of living in Singapore.” It analyzes the reason behind preferring the term “basic” instead of “minimum” as it avoids biasing the definition towards notions of austerity rather than adequacy. It also discusses the “MIS Singapore” study, which took place in the context of rapid demographic ageing and a social security system lacking transparent benchmarks for adequacy. The chapter mentions MIS Singapore's adaptation of some of UK MIS's approach for Singapore's ethnic diversity and different housing system norms. It clarifies how existing public pension provisions and transfer schemes are inadequate against MIS Singapore.