Singapore HDB Upgrading Schemes Guide 2026: HIP, SERS, VERS, EASE & LUP

Statutory Overview & Housing Framework

Singapore does not have one single HDB 'upgrading scheme'. The current framework includes the Home Improvement Programme (HIP), Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE), Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP), Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP), Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS), and the planned Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS). HIP addresses common maintenance problems in ageing flats. It covers flats built up to 1986 that had not undergone the earlier Main Upgrading Programme and was extended in 2018 to include flats built from 1987 through 1997. HIP only proceeds when at least 75% of a block's eligible Singapore Citizen households vote in favour; PR households do not vote. Essential HIP works are fully funded by Government for Singapore Citizen households, while optional improvements are heavily subsidised, with current Citizen cost-sharing ranging from 5% to 12.5% depending on flat type. The old single figure of 'S$630' is therefore not a universal 2026 HIP cost: current HDB estimates for the full optional package range from about S$599.50 for 1-/2-/3-room flats to S$1,498.75 for Executive flats, depending on flat type and selected package. PR households pay the full upgrading cost at the point of billing if all owners are PRs. EASE is a separate senior-friendly fitting programme, with EASE 2.0 offering improvements such as ramps, grab bars and other mobility/safety fittings and subsidies of up to 95% for eligible Singapore Citizen households. SERS is not a routine 70-year-old-flat programme: HDB describes it as highly selective compulsory acquisition for sites with high redevelopment potential and currently states that there are no plans for additional SERS projects because most high-potential sites have already been selected. Eligible SERS owners receive compensation based on market value at the SERS announcement, reasonable relocation expenses, an assured replacement-flat option if eligible, and a SERS grant of S$15,000 for singles or S$30,000 for joint singles and families, subject to the relevant rehousing package. VERS is a future scheme announced by MND to allow owners of selected older precincts to opt for early redevelopment; MND said in 2020 that the first VERS project was expected sometime after 2030 and that details would be worked through before rollout. There is therefore no authoritative 2026 rule that VERS applies automatically to flats aged 70 years and above or that residents can currently vote in a live VERS ballot.

Key Statutory Rules & Housing Criteria

What are Singapore's main HDB upgrading and redevelopment programmes?

The current HDB estate-renewal landscape should be divided into maintenance, accessibility, neighbourhood upgrading and redevelopment. HIP is a flat-level programme for common maintenance issues in ageing blocks. EASE focuses on senior-friendly fittings. LUP improves access to blocks through lift upgrading. NRP enhances the wider precinct and common spaces with resident participation. SERS is a selective compulsory acquisition and redevelopment scheme. VERS is a future voluntary redevelopment programme that has not yet become a universal live scheme in 2026.

Home Improvement Programme (HIP): who is covered?

HIP was introduced in 2007 for flats built up to 1986 that had not undergone the Main Upgrading Programme. In August 2018, HDB extended HIP to flats built between 1987 and 1997. This means the source page's phrase 'flats built up to 1997' is directionally correct but incomplete: the exact qualifying pool also depends on whether the flat had previously undergone the earlier MUP and on the precinct selection process. HDB announces the precincts selected for polling and publishes project-specific information.

What works are included under HIP?

HIP has Essential, Optional and EASE components. Essential Improvements are works intended to address common maintenance and safety issues. HDB currently lists repairs to spalling concrete, replacement of waste/soil discharge stacks, replacement of pipe sockets with new clothes-drying racks and upgrading of electrical load among the essential works. Optional Improvements can include upgrading existing toilets/bathrooms, installing a new entrance door and grille gate and replacing the refuse chute hopper. EASE improvements are senior-friendly fittings and can be selected as part of HIP where eligibility conditions are satisfied.

HIP polling: why the 75% threshold matters

HIP is not imposed automatically on every eligible ageing block. HDB conducts a poll and the programme proceeds only when at least 75% of a block's eligible Singapore Citizen households vote in favour. Singapore Permanent Resident households are not eligible to participate in the HIP poll. This means the 75% figure applies to the eligible SC households voting on the block, not to every resident or owner regardless of citizenship. HDB also publishes the polling dates and selected precincts.

How much does HIP cost in 2026?

The source page's S$630 headline is not a universal HIP cost. HDB currently states that Singapore Citizen households pay 5% to 12.5% of the cost of the optional improvements, depending on flat type, while the Government fully funds the Essential Improvements. For HIP projects polling after 30 March 2020, HDB currently publishes estimated amounts for the full optional package of about S$599.50 for 1-/2-/3-room flats, S$899.25 for 4-room, S$1,199 for 5-room and S$1,498.75 for Executive flats when the fire-rated main door and home fire alarm device are selected. These are estimates inclusive of 9% GST and the final amount is determined after completion of the works.

Do PR households receive HIP subsidies?

HDB currently states that Singapore Permanent Resident households have to pay the full upgrading cost if all owners are PRs at the point of billing. For optional and EASE improvements, they do not have to pay for items they opted out of. This is more precise than simply saying 'PRs pay 100% in every circumstance': the key test is the household's owner status at billing, and Citizen households receive the applicable government subsidy.

How long does HIP work take?

HIP should not be described as a 10-working-day project from announcement to completion. HDB states that a typical HIP precinct comprising 8 to 10 blocks takes about 1.5 to 2 years to complete after a successful poll. Within an individual flat, the actual works take 10 working days or less depending on the improvements chosen. This distinction matters because residents experience a short work period at flat level while the wider precinct project can continue for many months.

What happens during HIP toilet upgrading?

For flats selecting optional toilet upgrading, HDB's HIP process involves temporary inconvenience while the toilets and associated works are carried out. HDB provides temporary toilet/shower arrangements for affected households. The exact setup and duration can vary with the project and selected improvement items, so the original statement that every flat receives the same portaloo arrangement for exactly 10 working days should not be treated as a universal specification.

How can HIP upgrading costs be paid?

HDB allows eligible flat owners to pay upgrading costs through several channels. Current payment options include CPF OA, GIRO, PayNow, eNETS and AXS, with monthly instalment plans of up to 10 years available under the prevailing interest rate. Flat owners can use CPF OA for upgrading-cost payments subject to CPF Board approval and sufficient balance. The source page's statement that the co-payment is simply deducted from CPF OA at final inspection is therefore incorrect: billing and payment occur under HDB's upgrading-cost payment process after the precinct's upgrading costs are finalised.

What is EASE and EASE 2.0?

Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE) is designed to improve safety and mobility within HDB flats. HDB's current direct-application eligibility includes Singapore Citizen households with a family member aged 65 or above, or aged 60 to 64 and requiring assistance with at least one Activity of Daily Living. EASE improvements include ramps and bathroom safety fittings. EASE can be offered through HIP or applied for directly where the block does not qualify for HIP or the household wants the improvements earlier. Current HDB information states that eligible Singapore Citizen households receive subsidies of up to 95%, with the owner paying 5% to 12.5% depending on flat type and selected package.

What is SERS?

The Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS) was introduced in 1995 as part of HDB's estate-renewal efforts. Unlike HIP, SERS involves compulsory acquisition of selected ageing blocks for redevelopment. HDB describes SERS as highly selective and states that there are currently no plans for additional SERS projects because most sites with high redevelopment potential have already been selected. SERS is therefore not an automatic programme for flats reaching a particular age. A block can be old without being selected for SERS.

What compensation and rehousing benefits can SERS owners receive?

The exact SERS package depends on the particular acquisition and household circumstances. HDB's published SERS materials state that eligible owners receive compensation based on the market value of the existing flat at the time of the SERS announcement, together with reasonable relocation expenses such as removal allowance and stamp/legal-fee support. Eligible owners can receive an assured allocation of a replacement flat at designated sites and purchase it at the applicable subsidised price. The SERS grant is S$15,000 for eligible singles and S$30,000 for eligible joint-singles and family households. PR households without an SC owner have a different rehousing package and do not automatically receive the S$30,000 grant.

What is VERS in 2026?

The Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS) is a future estate-redevelopment concept announced by MND to provide selected older precincts with an option to participate voluntarily in redevelopment before lease expiry. In 2020, then-Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong said the Government expected to roll out the first VERS project sometime after 2030 and that the programme details still needed to be worked through. As of August 2026, there is no authoritative HDB rule establishing a universal '70 years and older' VERS eligibility threshold, no published universal compensation formula and no live 2026 precinct-wide VERS ballot process. The source page's 70-year threshold and ballot description should therefore be removed.

SERS versus VERS: the practical difference

SERS and VERS are often discussed together because both relate to estate redevelopment, but they are fundamentally different. SERS is a selective compulsory acquisition programme initiated by the Government and administered through a statutory acquisition and rehousing process. VERS is intended to be voluntary, giving selected older precincts an opportunity to opt into redevelopment. Because VERS has not been fully rolled out, the detailed financial and voting rules should not be invented from the SERS framework.

How other upgrading programmes fit into estate renewal

HIP is only one part of HDB's broader estate-renewal strategy. LUP improves lift access, especially for blocks where lift access needs enhancement. NRP improves common spaces and facilities at the precinct level through resident participation. EASE targets household-level mobility and safety. Together, these programmes can improve an estate without requiring compulsory acquisition and redevelopment of every block. SERS and future VERS address a different policy objective: more fundamental redevelopment of ageing precincts.

What happens to outstanding upgrading costs when you sell?

An HDB upgrading bill does not disappear simply because the owner sells the flat. HDB's current payment guidance states that the seller must settle outstanding upgrading costs before the resale or transfer can be completed. The outstanding amount can be deducted from the cash proceeds if sufficient funds remain after the outstanding mortgage, HDB charges and CPF refund. If there are insufficient cash proceeds, the seller must pay the outstanding upgrading cost in a lump sum before completion. CPF can be used to settle an outstanding amount only if the conditions for the CPF payment are met and, for a resale transaction, the outstanding amount has been paid in full before the first resale appointment if the seller wishes to use CPF.

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