If you had a baby before 1 July 2004 or gained legal responsibility for a child before 1 July 2004, you can claim the baby bonus until the child turns five years old.
You have a legal responsibility for a child if:
you are responsible (whether alone or with someone else) for the day-to-day care, welfare and development of the child and
you are their natural mother or natural father, or
you have a court order giving you legal responsibility (for example, through adoption).
Note - Adoptive parent
You may be entitled to claim from the date your adopted child came into your care rather than from the date you became legally responsible for the child. For more information, see Baby bonus - adoptive parents.
The mother is usually the person who will claim the baby bonus.
You can claim the baby bonus each year until the child turns five. The baby bonus is paid whether or not you get any other family benefits and can be claimed even if you do not pay tax.
You can use the Baby bonus calculator to help you determine whether you are eligible to claim the baby bonus and if so, the amount you are entitled to claim.
Bereavement
If your child died during the year but before their fifth birthday, you are eligible for the baby bonus for the full year.
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Note - Adoptive parent
