By The Ledger desk · Last verified 28 September 2026
Families with Singapore citizen children got S$500 in Child LifeSG Credits per child aged 12 and under in 2026, paid from 14 July to the LifeSG app and valid for 12 months. Babies born now still come under the Baby Bonus: S$20,000 to S$38,000 in cash gifts and savings support, depending on birth order. At the 2026 National Day Rally, the government announced the SG Child Support Package to replace it for babies born from 1 April 2027: a S$10,000 Baby Gift plus S$32,000 in Child Credits, whatever the birth order.
Quick facts
- Child LifeSG Credits: S$500 per citizen child aged 0 to 12 in 2026.
- The credits are valid for 12 months and paid to the child’s CDA trustee.
- Baby Bonus today: S$20,000 for a first child, up to S$38,000 for a fifth.
- Third and later children get extra support under the Large Families Scheme.
- From 1 April 2027: a S$10,000 Baby Gift and S$32,000 in Child Credits.
- The Child Credits also reach children aged 16 and below in 2026.
Child LifeSG Credits 2026
Every citizen child aged 12 and under in 2026, born between 2014 and 2025, got S$500. There’s no application and no income test; eligibility was checked on 1 June 2026. The credits went from 14 July to the child’s Child Development Account (CDA) trustee, usually the parent who applied for the Baby Bonus, in the LifeSG app. They can be spent at any merchant accepting PayNow UEN QR or NETS QR, including FairPrice, and last 12 months with no extension. Children born in 2026 get theirs from April 2027. Official messages come only from “gov.sg”; anything else is a scam.
The Baby Bonus today
For citizen children born on or after 18 February 2025:
| Child | Cash gift | CDA First Step Grant | Maximum government co-matching | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First | S$11,000 | S$5,000 | S$4,000 | S$20,000 |
| Second | S$11,000 | S$5,000 | S$7,000 | S$23,000 |
| Third and fourth | S$13,000 | S$10,000 | S$9,000 | S$32,000 |
| Fifth and later | S$13,000 | S$10,000 | S$15,000 | S$38,000 |
The cash gift is paid into a Child Savings Account every six months until the child is six and a half. The CDA can pay for approved childcare, preschool and healthcare costs, and the government matches parents’ savings dollar for dollar up to the cap. Under the Large Families Scheme, third and later children also get a S$5,000 MediSave grant and S$1,000 a year in LifeSG credits from ages one to six.
The SG Child Support Package
Announced at the 2026 National Day Rally, and as reported:
- Every citizen child born on or after 1 April 2027 gets a S$10,000 Baby Gift in cash and S$32,000 in Child Credits, whatever the birth order. This replaces the Baby Bonus.
- The Child Credits pay S$2,000 a year on the child’s birthday, can be used for anything, and also apply to citizen children aged 16 and below in 2026, from their age that year.
- Children already receiving Baby Bonus cash gifts keep getting them until 31 March 2027, with a top-up to S$10,000 if they’ve received less.
- The extra S$5,000 First Step Grant and the Large Family LifeSG Credits end. CDAs for children born from 2015 stay open until the end of their 16th year.
The Ministry of Social and Family Development will set out the details; check its announcements before you plan around them.
The WahLiao Verdict
Spend this year’s S$500 before it lapses after 12 months, and keep saving into the CDA while the government still matches it. If you’re expecting, the rules change on 1 April 2027: read MSF’s final details, not a headline.
Questions people ask
I can’t see the Child LifeSG Credits. Why?
They go to the child’s CDA trustee only; they aren’t split between both parents. Check who the trustee is.
Do I need to apply for the Baby Bonus?
For a citizen child born in Singapore, it’s part of the birth registration on LifeSG.
My child is 10. Does the new package help?
As announced, the Child Credits also cover children aged 16 and below in 2026, paid yearly on their birthday.
What can the CDA be used for?
Approved childcare, preschool and special education fees, medical costs, MediShield Life premiums and some optical and pharmacy items.
Sources: LifeSG, Baby Bonus Scheme; MOF, Large Families Scheme (Budget 2025); Together for Better, support for parents; NTUC on Child LifeSG Credits 2026; The Singapore Women’s Weekly on NDR 2026 family support and the SG Child Support Package. The Ledger explains; it does not advise.
Read next: CDC Vouchers 2026 · GST Voucher and Cost-of-Living Payouts · Back to The Ledger
For what’s worth it this week, with the bill shown, read The WahLiao Week.
