Seoul City Expands Sewerage Fee Reduction to 'Single-Parent Families'... Benefits 4,407 Households

Reduction of Sewerage Charges for Single-Parent Welfare Benefit Recipients Following Partial Ordinance Amendment
Applications Accepted at Dong Community Center... Applied from Monthly Regular Inspection After Application

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 10th that, as part of this year's expansion of support projects for single-parent families, it will implement a reduction in sewerage fees for welfare benefit recipients from single-parent families.

Recipients of welfare benefits for single-parent families include those from single-parent and grandparent-headed families with an income at or below 52% of the median income (KRW 1,695,244 per month for a two-person family), and youth single-parent families (where the father or mother is 24 years old or younger) with an income at or below 60% of the median income (KRW 1,956,051 per month for a two-person family).

According to the 2018 Single-Parent Family Survey, the average monthly income is only 57% of the average household income, indicating economic hardship.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has partially revised and promulgated the Seoul Metropolitan Sewerage Use Ordinance and completed the budget allocation to compensate for the reduced fees. From April 25, applications for the reduction are being accepted at local community service centers.

The reduction applies from the monthly regular inspection period following the date of application submission. For sewerage usage within 10㎥ per month, users can receive a fee reduction of up to KRW 4,000 per month (based on 2022 rates). Recipients who already benefit from reductions for independence merit holders and their families, recipients under the National Basic Livelihood Security Act, and persons with severe disabilities cannot receive overlapping reductions. For families with multiple children, if sewerage usage exceeds 10㎥ per month, overlapping reductions can be applied to the final sewerage fee charged. However, if the eligible recipient resides in a care facility, the sewerage fees for that facility are not subject to reduction.

The reduction is applied upon personal application and can be submitted at the community service center with jurisdiction over the applicant’s registered address. If welfare benefits are suspended or the address is moved outside Seoul, the reduction must be canceled at the community service center with jurisdiction over the final Seoul address. Inquiries can be made at the community service center corresponding to the registered address.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government expects that 4,407 low-income single-parent families residing in Seoul will benefit from this support.

Seoul is strengthening support projects for single-parent families. It provides monthly child-rearing allowances of KRW 200,000 to 350,000 for single-parent and youth single-parent families, supports transportation costs, and offers one-on-one customized counseling through single-parent life coordinators. It also provides housekeeping support (four times a month), housing support through purchased rental homes in communal living family-type housing, and operates dedicated institutions for initial support of unmarried mothers and fathers.

Kim Seon-soon, Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Women and Family Policy Office, said, “Seoul is expanding and strengthening support projects for single-parent families by broadening the scope of beneficiaries and enhancing the services provided. We hope that single-parent families eligible for the sewerage fee reduction will visit their local community service centers to receive these benefits.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.