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Baby and whānau · New Zealand

Having a baby in New Zealand

A practical order for parental leave, registering your baby, family payments and early health support.

  • Official New Zealand sources
  • No guessed payment amounts

Start here

Four things to sort first

You do not need to work through every programme at once. These are the steps most families should check first.

  1. Check paid parental leave before your leave starts

    If you are taking time away from work to care for a new baby, check Inland Revenue's paid parental leave rules and application steps.

    Check paid parental leave

  2. Register the birth after your baby arrives

    SmartStart can guide you through registering the birth and related government steps in one place.

    Register through SmartStart

  3. Update the agencies that pay family support

    Check Working for Families with Inland Revenue. If you already receive a Work and Income benefit, tell Work and Income about your baby too.

    Check Working for Families

  4. Arrange early health support

    SmartStart can help you find the next health steps, including choosing a Well Child Tamariki Ora provider.

    Open SmartStart

Money and leave

These are the main national payments to understand around a new baby. Your actual entitlement depends on your circumstances and current official rules.

Paid Parental Leave

Income support for eligible parents taking time away from work to care for a new baby or child.

Check Inland Revenue

Working for Families

Family tax credits can help with the cost of raising children. Which payments apply depends on your family and income.

Check Working for Families

Best Start

A tax credit for families with young children. Current income rules depend in part on when the child was born.

Check Best Start
Open the Working for Families checker

Register your baby

Registration unlocks several practical next steps. SmartStart is the simplest place to begin.

Step 1

Register the birth

Birth registration is required and is free. A birth certificate is separate.

Step 2

Sort the child's IRD number

The SmartStart process can help you request an IRD number for your child.

Step 3

Update family payments

Tell Inland Revenue or Work and Income where relevant so your records and payments can be updated.

Register your baby with SmartStart

Health and the first weeks

Keep this part simple. Focus on connecting your baby with the health services that will follow them through the first weeks and months.

Well Child Tamariki Ora

Choose a provider for ongoing checks, development support and guidance after birth.

Enrol your baby with a GP

Early enrolment helps with routine checks, immunisations and ongoing primary care.

See health steps in SmartStart

Already getting a Work and Income benefit?

A new baby can affect your payments and work obligations. Tell Work and Income rather than assuming your existing payment will update automatically.

See what Work and Income needs from you

Childcare and returning to work

You do not need to solve childcare immediately. When you are ready, check whether Work and Income can help with approved childcare costs.

Check childcare help

Need help figuring out what applies?

Use MyEligible to narrow the wider support system instead of opening every programme yourself.

Check what support may fitBrowse NZ tools
Official sources used for this guide

Sources reviewed 8 September 2026.

Having a baby in New Zealand | MyEligible