By The Address desk · Last verified 12 October 2026
HDB’s priority schemes reserve a share of new flats in each BTO or Sale of Balance Flats exercise for particular groups. The biggest is the Family and Parenthood Priority Scheme (FPPS): up to 40% of BTO flats for first-timer couples with a citizen child aged 18 or below, expecting a child, or young married couples. The old Married Child Priority Scheme was replaced from the July 2025 exercise by the Family Care Scheme (Proximity), which gives first-timer families up to 30% if they live with their parents or within 4km of them, and now covers singles too. The Third Child Priority Scheme sets aside up to 10% for families with three or more children. There are also schemes for parents and children applying together, seniors, rental tenants and single parents. Priority improves your odds; it does not guarantee a flat or a small queue number.
Every BTO launch feels like a lottery, and in a sense it is. Priority schemes do not skip the ballot; they put you in a smaller pool with better odds. Here is which pool might be yours, as of October 2026.
Quick facts
- FPPS: up to 40% of BTO and 60% of SBF flats.
- Family Care Scheme (Proximity) replaced the Married Child Priority Scheme from the July 2025 exercise.
- FCS (Proximity): up to 30% of BTO and SBF flats for first-timer families; the “near” option means within 4km.
- Third Child Priority: up to 10% of BTO and SBF flats.
- FCS (Joint Balloting): parents and child apply together for two flats in one project.
- Priority improves your ballot odds; it does not promise a good queue number.
All the schemes at a glance
| Scheme | Who it is for | Share of flats (up to) |
|---|---|---|
| Family and Parenthood Priority Scheme (FPPS) | First-timer married couples with a citizen child 18 or below, expecting a child (with a doctor’s certification), or young married couples | 40% of BTO, 60% of SBF |
| Family Care Scheme (Proximity), formerly Married Child Priority | Parents and children, married or single, living with or within 4km of each other; a single child must be 35 or older | First-timer families: 30% of BTO and SBF; first-timer singles: 30% of non-senior BTO 2-room Flexi and 2% of SBF 2-room Flexi |
| Third Child Priority Scheme (TCPS) | Families with three or more children, or expecting a third; the third child born on or after 1 January 1987 and the youngest a citizen | 10% of BTO, 10% of SBF |
| Family Care Scheme (Joint Balloting), formerly Multi-Generation Priority | Parents and child applying together for two units in a project with 2-room Flexi or 3-room flats | 15% of 2-room Flexi and 3-room flats for parents, and 15% for the child |
| Seniors (FCS Proximity and Senior Priority Scheme) | Seniors buying a 2-room Flexi near their current home or near family | At least 40% of 2-room Flexi flats go to seniors; within that, half of Standard and Plus, and a quarter of Prime, for these schemes |
| Tenants’ Priority Scheme (TPS) | Families who have lived in an HDB public rental flat for at least 2 years (quota shared with SERS and relocation applicants) | 10% of 2-room Flexi and 3-room BTO/SBF |
| Assistance Scheme for Second-Timers (ASSIST) | Divorced or widowed second-timers with a child 18 or below | 5% of 2-room Flexi and 3-room BTO flats |
What happened to the Married Child Priority Scheme?
From the July 2025 sales exercise, HDB replaced it with the Family Care Scheme (Proximity). The idea is the same, families living with or near each other, but it is wider: singles aged 35 and above can now qualify by living with or near their parents. There are two ways in:
- Living with: include your parent or child in your HDB Flat Eligibility (HFE) letter and flat application.
- Living near: your new flat must be within 4km of your parent’s or child’s owned home.
At least one parent or child must be a citizen or PR, and the arrangement must be kept throughout the minimum occupation period. Fiancé and fiancée applicants count as married.
The Third Child Priority Scheme, in detail
It is for families with three or more children from a legal marriage or legal adoption, or expecting a third. The third child must be born on or after 1 January 1987, and the youngest child (or expected child) must be a citizen. Up to 10% of BTO and SBF flats are set aside. Read the living-together conditions on your HFE letter carefully, because they apply after you collect your keys too.
A worked example
- Your situation: a first-timer couple aged 32, expecting a baby, whose parents own a flat 3km from a new BTO project.
- FPPS: you qualify as first-timers expecting a child.
- FCS (Proximity): you also meet the “living near” rule, as the project is within 4km of your parents’ home.
- Check the launch rules on how many schemes you can claim together, and list both if allowed.
- Then wait for the ballot: your odds are better, but your queue number can still be high.
The WahLiao Verdict
Before every launch, list every scheme you qualify for and check each one on your HFE letter; for most young couples that means FPPS plus the Family Care Scheme, so measure the 4km to your parents’ home first. Look at HDB’s application rates after each exercise to see which projects suit your priority group. And keep the promises the schemes ask of you, such as living with or near family, because they last for the whole minimum occupation period.
Questions people ask
Does a priority scheme guarantee me a flat?
No. It places you in a reserved pool with better odds, but HDB says priority schemes do not guarantee a smaller queue number.
Can I still apply under the Married Child Priority Scheme?
Not by that name. From the July 2025 exercise it was replaced by the Family Care Scheme (Proximity), which works on the same live-with or live-within-4km idea.
Can I use the Family Care Scheme if I am single?
Yes, if you are 35 or older and live with or within 4km of your parents. First-timer singles get up to 30% of non-senior BTO 2-room Flexi flats under the scheme.
Is there a priority scheme for single parents?
ASSIST helps divorced or widowed second-timers with at least one child aged 18 or below, with up to 5% of 2-room Flexi and 3-room BTO flats.
Sources: HDB, priority schemes guide (MyNiceHome, updated August 2026); HDB, July 2025 BTO and SBF administrative details, including the Family Care Scheme (PDF); HDB, priority schemes for new flats. The Address explains; it does not advise.
Read next: How a BTO Application Works: The HFE Letter, the Ballot and Booking a Flat · HDB Housing Grants: The Enhanced Grant, the Family Grant and the Proximity Grant · Back to The Address
For what’s worth it this week, with the bill shown, read The WahLiao Week.
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