What Financial Support Can I Get?

Understanding Best Start Payments and Paid Parental Leave for Families with a Baby in Neonatal Care

Having a baby in neonatal care can be a stressful and emotional time. Alongside caring for your little one, it’s important to know about the financial supports available to you, including Best Start Payments and Paid Parental Leave, especially when your baby is born prematurely.

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Best Start Payments

The Best Start Payment helps families with the everyday costs of raising a new baby. It provides a weekly payment for up to one year after the birth or adoption, which can ease financial pressures during those early months.

• It’s available to most families who meet residency and income criteria.
• You can apply through the official government website.
• If your baby is in neonatal care, you may still be eligible to receive this payment to help with extra costs.

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Paid Parental Leave

Paid Parental Leave (PPL) gives parents time off work to care for their new baby while receiving financial support. Here’s what you need to know if your baby is born preterm:

Qualifying for Paid Parental Leave
To qualify, you generally must:

• Have worked for the same employer for at least 6 months before your due date or before your baby’s birth.
• Meet residency requirements.
• Be the primary carer of the baby.

Who Can Apply
The person who will be the baby’s primary carer can apply, which is often the birth parent but may also be the partner or another caregiver.

Work Requirements
You need to meet specific work history requirements, so it’s a good idea to check your eligibility early.

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Special Provisions for Preterm Babies

If your baby was born before 37 weeks of pregnancy, you may be eligible for preterm baby payments in addition to paid parental leave:

• Preterm Baby Payment provides financial support for up to 13 consecutive weeks at the same rate as your paid parental leave.
• This payment period can begin either from the baby’s actual birth date or from when you become the baby’s primary carer.

When the Preterm Baby Payment Ends:

• When your baby reaches what would have been 37 weeks of pregnancy.
• When you return to work.
• When you stop being the primary carer (unless you gave birth to the child).

Once your preterm baby payments end, your regular paid parental leave payments will start and can continue for up to 26 weeks, unless you return to work earlier or transfer the leave to your partner.

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Keeping in Touch Hours and Other Income

You may be able to work some hours while on paid parental leave without affecting your payments — these are called keeping in touch hours. It’s important to understand how this works if you’re considering returning to work part-time during this period.

Also, any other income you earn while on paid parental leave may affect your payments. It’s best to discuss your situation with Work and Income NZ or your employer.

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What You Need to Provide

To check your eligibility and receive payments, you’ll need to provide:

• Your baby’s IRD number or proof of birth date.
• The expected due date (if applicable).

You can submit these documents through the myIR portal when you apply for paid parental leave or via web message or the ‘Manage my Entitlement’ section.

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Where to Get More Information and Help

• Visit the Work and Income NZ Paid Parental Leave page for detailed info.

Knowing your rights and entitlements can ease some of the stress during this challenging time.