Last Updated on June 26, 2023 by Parentology
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After COVID-19, in order to offset additional financial woes that may come with having children post-pandemic, the government has provided an addition to the Baby Bonus Scheme in the form of the Baby Support Grant. To aid parents in having and providing for their children, the government will be disbursing a one-time grant of $3,000 per child for children who are born (or estimated to be born) between 1 October 2020 to 30 September 2022.
This article will cover everything you might need to know about the Baby Support Grant – your eligibility, how to apply for it, how to receive it, and how you might be able to use it.
Eligibility and Registration
As long as your child is born or estimated to be born between the dates noted above (1 October 2020 to 30 September 2022), and fulfils all the criteria for being eligible for the Baby Bonus Scheme (that is, they will need to be a Singaporean Citizen and their parents need to be biologically wed), they are eligible for the Baby Support Grant. This applies even if the parents are living overseas, although certain arrangements may need to be made additionally during the application period (e.g. the need to have a local bank account for transfers).
To register for the Baby Bonus Grant, you simply need to register for the Baby Bonus Scheme as per regular, on the Baby Bonus Online portal. If you register your child for the scheme before their birth, you will need an Estimated Delivery Date (EDD) that your doctor will be able to provide you. As long as this EDD falls between the above dates, you will automatically be registered for the grant as long as you are approved for the Baby Bonus Scheme.
If you register your child after birth, you will be automatically registered for the grant as well along with the Baby Bonus Scheme, and instead of the EDD, you will simply note your child’s actual date of birth. As before, as long as their actual birthdate falls within the above dates they will qualify for the grant as well. If your child is born before 30 September 2022 and you are registering them for the Baby Bonus Scheme after this date, you will not need to provide the EDD, just their actual date of birth.
In cases where your children’s actual birth dates are outside of their listed dates (whether before or after), but their EDD falls within the range and can be certifiably proven, the child will also be eligible for the grant. For instance, if your child was born before 1 October 2020, but their EDD was on or after 1 October 2020. In this case, parents will need to email the certification (including the estimated delivery date, clinic information, doctor’s information, and mother’s information) to MSF at msf_babybonus@msf.gov.sg to request a review regarding the Baby Support Grant.
Adopted children qualify for the grant as well, as long as they meet the needs – firstly, that their birth dates fall within the range; secondly, that the child is a Singaporean Citizen, and thirdly, that both adopted parents are legally married.
Receiving the grant
The grant will be deposited in the same bank account (nominated bank account) that you have listed as part of the Baby Bonus Scheme registration.
When applying for the scheme on Baby Bonus Online, you will be required to provide a nominated bank account holder and their bank account information for the deposit of the regular cash gift that is included with Baby Bonus Online (this is not the Baby Support Grant). This account is the account into which your Baby Support Grant will also be deposited, within 1 month of your child’s birth (when the scheme activates) or within 1 month of registration, whichever comes later.
The grant is provided for every child rather than every household or every parent – that is, every child, as long as they are eligible for the Baby Support Grant, can receive $3,000. If you have multiple children within that period, they will be able to receive $3,000 each. This applies for multiple births (e.g. twins, triplets) as well. In total, including the previous benefits of the Baby Bonus Scheme, babies that are born within this period will receive up to $21,000 in benefits either as cash gifts or in benefits (e.g. government co-matching).
You can use the grant for whatever is needed – at this stage, you will be receiving it along with the original Baby Bonus cash gift, and in general parents or caregivers are expected to use both the cash gift and the grant to defray any immediate costs for a new child in the family. This includes paying for postpartum treatments, any emergency costs, and general infant or child supplies such as clothes, carriers, milk, and diapers.
I don’t meet the date range criteria for my child. Is there anything else that can help?
There are a large number of benefits available for children born even outside the date range for the Baby Support Grant. In addition to the regular Baby Bonus Scheme, which provides both a cash gift and the Child Development Account benefits, many parents have access to government-sanctioned maternity and paternity benefits, such as Government-Paid Maternity Leave (GPML) and Government-Paid Paternity Leave (GPPL). All of this can be found under the Marriage and Parenthood Package label on the MSF website.
If you are specifically worried about financial concerns in the wake of COVID-19, the government has also put measures into place to address employment concerns via various methods, including the SG United Jobs and Skills Package, the Jobs Support Scheme, and the beefing up of CareersFuture and SkillsFuture benefits. In addition, several cash gifts – outside of the Marriage and Parenthood Package – were provided to Singaporeans and parents. For instance, Singaporeans above 21 received two cash gifts – one Solidarity Payment of $600 to citizens, and one cash payout under the Care and Support measure of $300 – $900 (variation based on income). Parents with children under 20 would also receive an additional cash payout under Care and Support – $300 is provided to each parent.
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Contact us today and let us assist you in creating a solid financial plan tailored to your needs and aspirations. Take the first step towards a secure and prosperous future for your family.
