Sharp rise in number of people living alone

By Theresa Tan,Senior Social Affairs Correspondent

Family life may hold a special place in Singapore but increasing numbers of people are living alone, either by choice or circumstance.

There has been a stark rise over the past two decades or so in what are called one-person resident households. These are households headed by a citizen or permanent resident.

In 2000, there were 75,400 such households, comprising 8.2 per cent of all resident households. That figure rose to 116,400, or 10.8 per cent, in 2007. This increased further to 167,900 last year, or 13 per cent of all resident households, according to Department of Statistics data released last Thursday.

Sociologist Angelique Chan said: "Given the growing affluence and preference for privacy and space, more people (of all ages) are choosing to live alone."

One reason behind the trend is the growing number of singles, such as Miss Law Lipeng, a 41-year-old architect.

Miss Law moved out of her parents' flat into her own apartment last year for more personal space.

She said: "It's quite hard to have privacy when you live with your parents, like even if you want to play music loudly, you will disturb others. Having my own personal space means that I don't have to explain my lifestyle choices to anyone."

An increasing number of divorces has also led to more people living alone, say sociologists and social workers. Singapore is also ageing rapidly, and more seniors - who may or may not have children - have chosen to live out their twilight years alone after their spouse dies.

Some elderly folk may not have a choice. They could have strained ties with their children, for example, said sociologists and social workers interviewed by The Straits Times.

Mrs Jenny Bong, director of Special Projects at the Methodist Welfare Services, said: "Some seniors prefer to be independent as they can do their own thing. Others may fear being dependent on others or prefer not to be obligated to others."

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/sharp-rise-in-number-of-people-living-alone