Taiwan's declining birth rate poses a serious national security concern. In response, the government has been advancing measures to improve housing, support childrearing and lower the tax burden, creating a friendlier environment for young people to marry and start families. Now, the government has put forward a plan to provide further rental housing assistance to young, married couples raising children, with a focus on enhancing housing stability. This initiative integrates existing policies for social housing, rental allowances, and a subleasing and management program, while placing a renewed emphasis on childrearing couples, particularly newlyweds or those with young children. By increasing rental allowances, expanding eligibility criteria, introducing additional items of financial assistance, and assigning higher priority for social housing, the plan aims to bring greater security and peace of mind to households with children and to young people starting new families.
Four avenues of assistance
■ Increased rental allowances: Eligible households receive 50% more in rental allowances within two years of marriage, plus an additional 50% increase for each child born.
■ Expanded eligibility criteria: The central government's NT$30 billion (approximately US$991.9 million) expanded rent subsidy program is relaxing its eligibility requirements for applicants who are newlyweds or raising children, lifting the maximum personal income threshold from 3 times to 3.5 times the average minimum monthly cost of living in their local area.
■ Additional items of financial assistance: Families with newborns or newlyweds residing in social housing under the government's subleasing and management program can receive up to NT$6,000 (approx. US$198) annually in financial support for the installation of child safety equipment, such as devices to prevent falls or soften collisions.
■ Higher priority for social housing: The central government reserves 20% of social housing for families married within the past two years or raising preschoolers. These families are eligible to rent the units for up to 12 years, including extensions.