1. What is the Traffic Accident Fund (TAF)?
The Traffic Accident Fund, or TAF for short, is an assistive scheme that supports persons who have acquired permanent or temporary disabilities due to traffic accidents.

This fund can be tapped on:

•    To purchase equipment or technical aids for Activities of Daily Living, education or employment
•    To retrofit homes to make them more accessible for persons with disabilities, and aid in their mobility and rehabilitation
•    To cover taxi or ambulance fees incurred for travelling to and fro between their homes and the rehabilitation centres
•    To provide temporary cash relief to families whose loved ones have passed away or are suffering from brain damage due to the traffic accident

This fund is administered by the Centre for Enabled Living, or CEL for short.

2. What types of equipment can be purchased under this scheme?
The following equipment can be purchased under TAF:

•    Walking aids, such as crutches, walking sticks or walking frames
•    Wheelchairs, either manual or motorised
•    Special mattresses that prevent bed sores
•    Special seats, such as inserts for wheelchairs
•    Commodes, such as raised toilet seats for those with knee injuries
•    Prostheses
•    Breathing apparatus
•    Or any other assistive devices that aid daily living

3. What types of retrofits can be purchased under this scheme?
The following retrofits can be purchased under TAF:

•    Handrails
•    Ramps
•    Widening of doorways for wheelchair access
•    Changing of doors for wheelchair users

4. What are the eligibility criteria?
Accident victims should be Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents, with a gross monthly household per capita income of $1,300 and below. They should be from low-income families who cannot afford to purchase assistive equipment or retrofit their homes for mobility or rehabilitative purposes.

The application for this fund should be submitted or exercised within two years from the date of the accident.

Families of accident victims who have passed on or are suffering from brain damage as a result of the accident are also eligible for TAF. They may apply for temporary cash relief of up to $3,000. This is to cover the families’ daily expenses while waiting for approval of claims from insurance companies or help from other public assistance schemes. For these cases, applications must be submitted to CEL within 1 month of death or brain damage.

5. How do I calculate my gross monthly household per capita income?
Take your total gross monthly household income, divided by the number of persons in your household.

This final number should be $1,300 and below, in order for you to qualify for TAF.
 
6. How do I apply for this scheme?
If you meet the eligibility criteria, you should approach a VWO or hospital’s medical social worker to apply for the fund. They will submit the application form to CEL.

Receipts must be submitted as proof of purchase for equipment that has already been purchased and paid for at the time of application. In these instances, CEL and the referring agencies reserve the right to reassess applications based on the suitability of the equipment that has been purchased prior to approval.

For equipment that has not been purchased at the time of application, but for which subsidies are subsequently granted, receipts should be sent to CEL for reimbursement within one month after the purchase.

The deadline for receiving the receipts may be extended for cases where the equipment has been imported from overseas.

7. What documents do I need to submit?
You need to submit:

•  Social report or occupational therapy report

•  Accident police report
• Assessments or recommendations from therapists or relevant professionals
• Income statements and/or declarations - All household members and Applicant
• Bank Statement of Account – All household members and Applicant
• Photocopy NRIC/ Birth Certificate / Student pass (Front and Back) – All household members and applicant
• 3 quotations for devices that cost $3,000 and above, or 1 quotation for devices that cost less than $3,000

8. How much time is needed to process the application?
The application will be processed and approved within 15 working days from the date of receipt of the application and all necessary documents.

9. How much financial assistance is each applicant eligible for?
Each applicant will be granted up to $10,000 in funding for the purchase of assistive equipment or retrofits. Individuals may submit more than one application.

The approved subsidy amount will be based on the applicant’s gross household income.

10. How will the disbursement be made?
CEL will issue a cheque made payable to the organisation that assisted the recipient in submitting the application. The social worker must ensure that the approved equipment was purchased and not any other device.

The social worker should also submit the receipt to CEL within 2 months upon notification of approval. CEL reserves the right to recover the subsidies, if the purchase invoice or receipt is not furnished and CEL did not receive prior notice from the applicant or social worker.

For families of accident victims who have passed away or are suffering from brain damage, disbursement will take about 15 working days upon submission of complete documentation.

For transport fee claims, reimbursement will be issued on a monthly basis upon receipt of supporting receipts.

11. Can I claim for reimbursement of transport fees for medical appointments in hospitals?
The reimbursement of transport fees is applicable only from the accident victim’s home to the rehabilitation centre and vice versa. It will be valid only for the duration of rehabilitation as qualified by a Voluntary Welfare Organisation or a medical social worker in the hospital.

In-principle approval must be sought from CEL through the VWOs or medical social worker. The application must also be submitted to CEL within two months from the starting date of the outpatient rehabilitation.

Reimbursement will be issued on a monthly basis upon receipt of supporting receipts.