Newborn baby bonus disbursed to about 6,000 eligible parents, says govt

The government has begun to disburse the one-off newborn baby bonus of HK$20,000 to the first batch of about 6,000 eligible parents, according to the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration's Office.

The applications for the first batch of eligible parents, submitted between October 25, 2023 and mid-January this year, will be notified by SMS via a designated phone number 5928 7409, upon disbursement.

Applicants could receive the newborn baby bonus via their designated bank account within two to three weeks from the time of application starting now, the office added.

The spokesman reminded the public that a hyperlink will not be included in the SMS notifications of bonus disbursements, and they should stay vigilant to avoid falling victim to fraud in the name of the Newborn Baby Bonus.

The incentive scheme was launched to reverse the low birthrate and alleviate the challenges of an aging population.

As of last Saturday (Feb 3), a total of about 6,900 eligible applications had been received.