Family & kids: pregnancy, parental leave and family payments

Best Start is part of Working for Families. It gives your family extra money for the first 3 years after your child is born, up to NZ$77 a week. For children born on or after 1 April 2026, the first year also depends on your family income.

FamilyBoost is a childcare payment from Inland Revenue (IRD). It helps families pay for a child at a licensed early childhood education (ECE) service, such as daycare or kindy. If your child is 5 or under and your household income is less than NZ$57,286 a quarter, you can claim back part of your ECE fees each quarter in myIR. You can get up to NZ$1,560 a quarter.

If you have a baby, or start caring for a child under 6, you may get government-funded parental leave payments. This applies if you are the primary carer, you stop work to care for the child, and you worked enough hours in the past year. You apply to Inland Revenue, and payments last for 26 weeks in a row. From 1 July 2026, the maximum is NZ$811.05 a week before tax. Your partner can ask their employer for 1 or 2 weeks of unpaid partner's leave. Your partner can also take over part of your parental leave payments.

When you are pregnant in New Zealand, your first step is to choose a Lead Maternity Carer (LMC). This is usually a midwife. Your LMC looks after you during your pregnancy and the birth. They also care for you and your baby until your baby is 6 weeks old. If you are eligible, most maternity care is free. After your baby is born, you also get free Well Child Tamariki Ora health checks.

If you have dependent children, you can apply to Inland Revenue (IRD) for Working for Families payments. There are four main types: family tax credit, in-work tax credit, minimum family tax credit and Best Start. How much you get depends on your family income and how many children you have. You must also meet residence requirements.