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Family benefits from Belgium
Last update: 21st Apr 2023
Published: 18th Feb 2023
Are you working in Belgium and have children? Apply for Belgian child benefits.
Child benefits
The basic condition for entitlement to child benefit is compulsory social insurance in Belgium, which you automatically acquire in connection with your employment. This means that if you are working in Belgium, you have mandatory social security cover and are likely to be entitled to the allowance.
The Belgian child benefit system is specific in that the benefits are the responsibility of each Belgian region. This means that the amount of the allowance and the related rules may vary depending on the region in which you live. The Belgian regions are divided into Flanders, Brussels and Wallonia.
Who can receive child benefit?
In Belgium, the general rule is that the mother should receive child benefit as a priority. However, there are exceptions, which are applied in specific cases as follows:
- the parents do not live together and the child is registered as residing with the father - in this case, the father may receive child benefit,
- the parents do not live together and the child spends most of the time with one of the parents - the parent with whom the child spends most of the time receives child benefit,
- the parents are divorced - the parent to whom the child has been entrusted with personal care receives the allowance,
- the child does not live with the parents - the person to whom the child has been entrusted with personal care (e.g. a foster parent or grandparent) receives the allowance.
Child benefit in 2023
Family benefits consist of a basic amount and an allowance supplement. The amount of the supplement depends on a number of family factors (family income, cohabitation, family composition, age of children). Benefits and the supplement are paid monthly according to the system of each region, in the following amounts:
The amount of the benefit or basic amount in Brussels (for children born after 2020) - the amount of the child benefit depends on the composition of the family and the age of the children:
| Age of the child | Amount of the basic amount |
|---|---|
| 0 - 11 years | €175,76 |
| 12 - 17 years | €187,47 |
| 18 - 24 years (without higher education) | €187,47 |
| 18 - 24 years (with higher education) | €199,19 |
Exeption: a family with one child and an income of more than €37,126.55 is entitled to an allowance of €175,76, regardless of the age of the child.
The amount of the allowance or basic amount in Flanders (for children born after 2019) - child allowances are granted in the same amount for each child, namely €173.20.
Amount of the allowance or basic amount in Wallonia (for children born after 2020) - the amount of the allowance depends on the age of the child, as follows:
| Age of the child | Amount of the basic amount |
|---|---|
| 0 - 17 years | €181.61 |
| 18 - 24 years | €193.33 |
Information on the amount of allowances for children born before 2019 and 2020 for all regions can be found on kidslife.be.
Payment of child benefit
There are a number of public organisations that administer and pay child benefits in different regions of Belgium. Each claimant can choose from the following organisations in their region:
Organisations for the Brussels region - Famiris, Infino, Parentia, BrusselsFamily, KidsLife.
Organisations for the Flanders region - MyFamily, Infino, Fons, Parentia, KidsLife.
Organisations for the Wallonia region - Camille, Infino, KidsLife, Famiwal, Parentia.
Through these organisations it is also possible to apply for other child allowances (e.g. toddler allowance, school allowance, health allowance), with each organisation having its own system and type of allowance.
It is possible to transfer within a region to another organisation that administers family allowances.
Applying for child benefits
An application for child benefit must be made to the specific organisation of the applicant's choice. Each organisation has its own rules on how to apply. However, most of them allow you to apply by post, email or online application.
To apply, you will need:
- an application form - this is available on each organisation's online application,
- a copy of the child's birth certificate - to prove the existence of the child.
If one parent works in Belgium and the other parent lives with the child in another EU country, you will also need to submit these forms with your application:
- Form E 401 - family composition certificate,
- form E 411 - to verify that the entitlement to benefits has not also arisen in the home country. If this is the case, Belgium may pay the applicant additional child benefits or the difference in the amount,
- form E 402 - certificate of continuing studies for the purpose of family benefits,
- form P12 - declaration of private and employment situation. The form is issued by the family benefits organization chosen by the claimant.
Do you work in Belgium? Claim your Belgian tax refund too!