Hong Kong introduces HK$30,000 incentive for each additional child to spur births

During the Policy Address, Chief Executive John Lee unveiled a suite of measures aimed at raising Hong Kong’s fertility rate. Families will receive a HK$30,000 cash benefit for every child beyond the first, while the existing HK$20,000 newborn reward will be extended for another three years. Tax allowances for second and later children will rise from HK$140,000 to HK$160,000, and homebuyers who purchase a property within a year before or two years after a birth can claim a HK$20,000 stamp-duty deduction.

The government will also increase the maximum loan-to-value ratio for flats bought through the Home Ownership Scheme to 95 percent, reducing upfront costs. Further initiatives include expanding IVF capacity at the Hospital Authority, adding childcare centres, and widening after-school childcare provision.