First-born children account for the largest share, at 41.7%, of Türkiye’s updated birth support program, according to data released by the Ministry of Family and Social Services, as authorities move to strengthen family structures and support population growth under the 2025 "Year of the Family."
The number of children benefiting from the revised support reached 300,673, reflecting the prominence of first-child incentives within the broader policy framework.
According to information from the ministry shows that social support mechanisms have been expanded alongside ongoing efforts to protect and reinforce the family institution, increase marriage rates and raise fertility levels.
Birth support amounts were revised after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan declared 2025 the “Year of the Family.” Under the updated scheme, families receive a one-time payment of TL 5,000 ($117) for the first child, a monthly payment of TL 1,500 for the second child, and TL 5,000 per month for the third and subsequent children. Payments are deposited regularly into mothers’ bank accounts until each child reaches the age of five.
Applications for the new support program began on April 8, with assistance provided for every child born without any income or social eligibility criteria, underscoring the universal nature of the policy.
As part of the updated program, a total of TL 8.7 billion has been paid to 709,853 mothers, the ministry said.
Data show that first-born children received the largest portion of the support, with 300,673 children benefiting. Second-born children accounted for 30.6% of beneficiaries, corresponding to 221,066 children, while families with three or more children made up 27.7% of the total, covering 199,658 children.
On a provincial basis, Istanbul recorded the highest number of mothers benefiting from the program. It was followed by Şanlıurfa and Gaziantep in southeastern Türkiye, Ankara and Konya in central Türkiye, Izmir in western Türkiye, Diyarbakır in southeastern Türkiye, Bursa and Kocaeli in northwestern Türkiye, and Adana in southern Türkiye.
Families seeking to benefit from the updated birth support under the 2025 Year of the Family can submit applications via e-Government system or through the “My First Teacher Is My Family” mobile application, the ministry said.
