1
Before birth
Check leave, payments and who to tell at work.
2
Birth and first weeks
Register your baby, connect health services and update agencies.
3
First 6 months
Settle payments, Well Child visits and routine care.
4
Returning to work
Plan childcare costs, subsidies and tax credits together.
5
Later support
20 Hours ECE, OSCAR and reviews when circumstances change.

Money and leave

Parental leave and family payments

legal right to parental leave from your employer is separate from Inland Revenue Paid Parental Leave payments. Paid Parental Leave and Best Start for the same child do not run at the same time.

Parental leave

Paid Parental Leave (Inland Revenue)

Who: Employees and self-employed people who meet IRD eligibility rules.
When: Before your leave starts; check current 2026 payment and application rules on IRD.
Why it matters: Income while you take time away from work to care for a new baby.
Next step: Apply through Inland Revenue and keep your employer informed.

Inland Revenue: Paid Parental Leave

Work and Income also publishes a Paid Parental Leave overview if you are already in contact with MSD.

Employment parental leave rights

Who: Employees (and partners where relevant) planning time off work.
When: As soon as you know your dates; talk to your employer early.
Why it matters: Protects your job and sets minimum leave entitlements separate from IRD payments.
Next step: Check Employment New Zealand for leave types, notice periods and partner leave.

Employment New Zealand: parental leave

Family payments

Working for Families

Who: Families with dependent children, including many on low or middle incomes.
When: After your baby is born and registered; update when income changes.
Why it matters: Can include Family Tax Credit, In-work Tax Credit and Minimum Family Tax Credit depending on work and income.
Next step: Check which WFF components may apply together for your household.

Open Working for Families checker Inland Revenue: Working for Families

Best Start

Who: Families with a child under 3.
When: After Paid Parental Leave for the same child ends.
Why it matters: Helps with costs in a child's early years. Rules changed for babies born from 1 April 2026.
Next step: children born on or after 1 April 2026 are income-tested from year 1

Inland Revenue: Best Start

If money is tight

These may be worth checking if household costs are difficult to meet. They are not automatic for every new parent.

Accommodation Supplement for rent, board or mortgage costs.
Estimate housing support Work and Income: Accommodation Supplement
Temporary Additional Support for short-term essential costs.
Work and Income: TAS
Community Services Card for lower health costs.
Check CSC eligibility Work and Income: Community Services Card
Main benefit review if you already receive Work and Income support.
Tell Work and Income about your baby

Registering your baby

Birth registration and agency updates

Step 1
Birth registration
Required and free through SmartStart. A birth certificate is separate.
Step 2
IRD number
Request through SmartStart so family payments can be linked correctly.
Step 3
Working for Families / Best Start
Update Inland Revenue once your child is registered.
Step 4
Work and Income
If you already receive a benefit, notify MSD about your new baby.

Health and early support

Connect your baby to care

Keep this simple in the first weeks: maternity care, Well Child Tamariki Ora, a GP and routine checks.

Maternity care through your lead maternity carer during pregnancy and birth.
Well Child Tamariki Ora for checks, guidance and support after birth.
GP enrolment for immunisations and everyday health needs.
Newborn screening is part of routine hospital care; follow any recall advice.

Health NZ: pregnancy Well Child and whānau services Immunisation Newborn screening programme Find local steps in SmartStart

If your baby has a significant health condition or disability, start with your GP and Well Child provider, then see the carers hub and extra help on a benefit guides for programmes that may sit alongside everyday baby supports.

If you had an injury during birth, ACC may cover some listed maternal birth injuries from 1 October 2022. This is separate from parenting payments. Open ACC support after an injury.

Childcare and return to work

When you need care to return to work

FamilyBoost and the Childcare Subsidy are different types of assistance. Plan these separately.

Childcare Subsidy

Who: Parents with approved childcare costs who meet Work and Income rules.
When: When you have a childcare arrangement and costs to claim.
Why it matters: Can reduce weekly childcare fees for eligible families.
Next step: Check eligibility and what evidence Work and Income needs.

Work and Income: Childcare Subsidy

FamilyBoost

Who: Eligible families with children in approved early childhood education.
When: When your child is in approved ECE and you are ready to claim.
Why it matters: A tax credit toward ECE fees, claimed through Inland Revenue (not the same as the Childcare Subsidy).
Next step: Check IRD claim windows and approved provider rules.

Inland Revenue: FamilyBoost

Early Learning Payment

Who: Families enrolled in Family Start or Early Start with a child aged 18 months to 3 years.
When: Later than newborn stage, once your child is old enough and you are in the programme.
Why it matters: Can help pay approved early childhood education costs for eligible whānau in these programmes.
Next step: Your Family Start or Early Start worker usually coordinates the application with Work and Income.

Work and Income: Early Learning Payment

Flexible Childcare Assistance

Who: Some parents with irregular work hours who meet MSD criteria.
When: If your work schedule is variable and you already use approved care.
Why it matters: May help when standard childcare patterns do not fit your work.
Next step: Confirm current rules with Work and Income.

Work and Income: Flexible Childcare Assistance

20 Hours ECE

Who: Children aged 3, 4 or 5 in early childhood education, until they start school.
When: Later, from the child's third birthday until they start school.
Why it matters: Ministry of Education funding reduces ECE fees for up to 20 hours a week. It is not a newborn payment.
Next step: Confirm the early learning service offers 20 Hours ECE and which hours it covers.

Ministry of Education: 20 Hours ECE

OSCAR subsidy

Who: School-age children in before- or after-school care.
When: Much later, when your child is school age.
Why it matters: Helps with out-of-school care costs for eligible families.
Next step: Use only if after-school care applies; not for a newborn.

Work and Income: OSCAR

Work and Income: childcare assistance overview

Special situations

If your situation is not a standard two-parent birth

Open only what applies. These pathways use different agencies and evidence rules.

Sole parent

Sole Parent Support may be relevant if you are raising a child alone and meet Work and Income rules. This is separate from Working for Families tax credits.

Work and Income: Sole Parent Support

Parents living apart

Child support arrangements may apply when parents are not together. Inland Revenue administers child support; private agreements still need to meet legal rules.

Inland Revenue: child support

Adoption or primary carer

Some payments use different evidence and timing rules than a birth parent pathway. Check Work and Income and Inland Revenue for your role.

Work and Income: having a child

Whānau or kinship caregiver

Unsupported Child's Benefit or Orphan's Benefit may apply when you are caring for a child who is not your own and meet eligibility rules.

Unsupported Child's Benefit Orphan's Benefit

Not sure what applies?

Answer a few questions and MyEligible will suggest supports worth checking first.

Check benefits and supports

Official sources used for this guide

Sources reviewed 9 September 2026. No guessed payment amounts.

What feels closest to your situation?

I'm expecting a baby

My baby has arrived

Returning to work / need childcare

Caring for someone else's baby

A practical order through the first year