Baby Bonus Scheme Explained (2026)
For Singapore Citizen children born on or after 18 Feb 2025, the Baby Bonus Cash Gift is S$11,000 for the 1st and 2nd child and S$13,000 for the 3rd and later. The Child Development Account (CDA) then adds a First Step Grant plus dollar-for-dollar co-matching, so total support runs from about S$20,000 for a first child to S$38,000 for the fifth.
The Baby Bonus Scheme helps parents with the cost of raising a child. It has two parts: the Baby Bonus Cash Gift, paid to you in instalments, and the Child Development Account (CDA), a co-savings account the government tops up. For Singapore Citizen children born on or after 18 February 2025, the amounts below apply (MSF). Permanent Residents and foreigners are not eligible.
How much is the Baby Bonus Cash Gift?
The Cash Gift depends on your child’s birth order:
| Birth order | Baby Bonus Cash Gift |
|---|---|
| 1st child | S$11,000 |
| 2nd child | S$11,000 |
| 3rd child | S$13,000 |
| 4th child | S$13,000 |
| 5th and subsequent | S$13,000 |
It is not paid as one lump sum. It is spread out from birth until your child is about 6.5 years old, so it keeps helping as the child grows.
When is the Cash Gift paid?
| Milestone | 1st & 2nd child | 3rd child onwards |
|---|---|---|
| At birth | S$3,000 | S$4,000 |
| 6 months | S$1,500 | S$2,000 |
| 12 months | S$1,500 | S$2,000 |
| 18 months | S$1,000 | S$1,000 |
| 2 to 6.5 years | S$400 every 6 months | S$400 every 6 months |
| Total | S$11,000 | S$13,000 |
The Cash Gift is spread out, not paid all at once.
The Child Development Account (CDA)
The CDA is a special savings account for your child’s approved expenses. It receives two kinds of government money:
- A First Step Grant that is credited automatically, with no need for you to save first.
- Dollar-for-dollar co-matching: for every dollar you save in the CDA, the government adds a dollar, up to a cap set by birth order.
| Birth order | First Step Grant | Max government co-matching |
|---|---|---|
| 1st child | S$5,000 | S$4,000 |
| 2nd child | S$5,000 | S$7,000 |
| 3rd & 4th child | S$10,000 | S$9,000 |
| 5th and subsequent | S$10,000 | S$15,000 |
The larger First Step Grant of S$10,000 for the 3rd child onwards is part of the Large Family Scheme for children born on or after 18 February 2025 (it was S$5,000 before).
Total government support per child
Adding the Cash Gift, the First Step Grant and the maximum co-matching (if you save enough to max it out):
Cash Gift plus CDA First Step Grant plus maximum government co-matching. Source: MSF.
| Birth order | Total government support |
|---|---|
| 1st child | S$20,000 |
| 2nd child | S$23,000 |
| 3rd & 4th child | S$32,000 |
| 5th and subsequent | S$38,000 |
CDA savings and matching can be used at Approved Institutions — ECDA-licensed preschools, registered kindergartens, MOH-licensed clinics and hospitals, and other approved providers — for any of your children, not only the one who holds the account.
How to receive it
- Register the birth (within 42 days), at the hospital, with ICA, or via the LifeSG app.
- Enrol your child in the Baby Bonus Scheme through the Baby Bonus Online portal or the LifeSG app.
- Open a CDA with a participating bank (POSB/DBS, OCBC or UOB) to receive the First Step Grant and co-matching.
The Cash Gift and CDA work alongside other help for new parents, including childcare subsidies once your child starts preschool and the MediSave Maternity Package around the birth.
Related
General information, not financial advice. Confirm your own amounts with MSF before you plan.
Sources
- Baby Bonus Scheme — Made For Families (Government of Singapore) (as of October 2026)
- Baby Bonus Scheme (programme page) — Ministry of Social and Family Development (as of October 2026)
- Baby Bonus Scheme benefits for parents — Ministry of Social and Family Development (as of October 2026)