SME Cash Grant 2026
The SME Cash Grant 2026 is a one-off IRAS payout to help businesses manage higher energy prices and cost increases arising from the Middle East situation. No application is required: all ACRA-registered companies, sole proprietorships and partnerships in Singapore are automatically assessed, and eligible businesses receive up to S$2,500, paid via GIRO or PayNow Corporate from 2 November 2026.
Eligibility Criteria
- 01
ACRA-registered company, sole proprietorship or partnership (including LLPs and limited partnerships) that is active and registered in Singapore
- 02
Annual revenue of no more than S$100 million for YA 2025 (filed and assessed by IRAS as at 31 Aug 2026), or no more than 200 employees as at 30 Jun 2026
- 03
Must be active at the point of disbursement in November 2026
- 04
Employee-based grant: local qualifying employees (Singapore Citizens or PRs) with CPF contributions made by the contribution deadline, from April to June 2026
- 05
Flat S$500 grant: sole proprietorship or partnership run by at least one local business owner, with no local qualifying employees, where the owner's net trade income for YA 2025 was S$100,000 or less
- 06
Individuals employing workers under their NRIC are not eligible
How to Apply
1. No application is required. IRAS automatically assesses all ACRA-registered businesses. 2. Make sure your business has a valid payment mode: Income Tax/GST GIRO with IRAS, or PayNow Corporate linked to your UEN (without suffix). 3. Businesses with GIRO with IRAS as at 14 Oct 2026, or PayNow Corporate as at 25 Oct 2026, receive the grant in their bank account from 2 Nov 2026. There are no cheque payouts. 4. Eligible businesses receive a notification letter at their registered address and via myTax Portal in November 2026. 5. Use IRAS's SME Cash Grant 2026 eligibility checker to confirm eligibility. 6. If you believe your business is eligible but did not receive the grant, submit an appeal between 2 Nov 2026 and 7 Jan 2027. Appeals after 7 Jan 2027 will not be considered.
Claims and Disbursement
There is no claim. IRAS pays the grant automatically via GIRO or PayNow Corporate. If an eligible business has no valid payment mode, set one up and write to IRAS via myTax Mail ("Government Payout" category, "Payment Matters" subject) so the payout can be reprocessed. IRAS may offset the payout against overdue tax. The grant is taxable.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. IRAS automatically assesses all ACRA-registered companies, sole proprietorships and partnerships in Singapore.
S$500 per local qualifying employee, capped at S$2,500 per business, based on the highest number of local qualifying employees in any month from April to June 2026. Sole proprietorships and partnerships with no local qualifying employees can receive a flat S$500 if the local business owner had net trade income of S$100,000 or less for YA 2025.
Companies (e.g. Pte Ltd) receive S$500 per local qualifying employee, capped at S$2,500. A company with no local qualifying employees does not qualify. Sole proprietorships and partnerships also receive S$500 per local qualifying employee, capped at S$2,500, or a flat S$500 if they have no local qualifying employees and the local business owner's YA 2025 net trade income was S$100,000 or less. Headcount is the highest number of local qualifying employees in any month from April to June 2026, and only CPF contributions made on time count.
An owner whose sole proprietorships have no local qualifying employees receives one flat S$500 grant in total, not one per business. Each business with local qualifying employees receives a grant based on its own headcount, and there is no extra flat S$500 for the owner's other businesses. For partnerships, each unique combination of partners is treated the same way. IRAS's SME Cash Grant 2026 page has worked examples.
Businesses with GIRO with IRAS as at 14 Oct 2026, or PayNow Corporate as at 25 Oct 2026, receive the grant in their bank account from 2 Nov 2026. IRAS does not pay this grant by cheque.
Employees who are Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents, including shareholder-directors of a company, with CPF contributions made by the contribution deadline. Sole proprietors and partners are not counted as employees.
Check IRAS's eligibility checker and make sure GIRO or PayNow Corporate is set up. If you believe your business is eligible, you may submit an appeal between 2 Nov 2026 and 7 Jan 2027.
Yes. It is automatically included for individuals and partnerships (Form B/P). Companies should declare it in their income tax return (Form C/C-S/C-S Lite).
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