The basic amount: monthly Child Benefit amounts per child.
What is the basic amount?
The Basic Amount is the standard monthly payment that you receive for your children. The amount can vary per child. You may also receive supplementary allowances on top of your Basic Amount.
KidsLife automatically pays the highest basic amount applicable per child in Belgium.
The Basic Amount at a glance:
- The Basic Amount is calculated according to the age of your child.
- The amounts vary depending on the region in which you live or work.
- Depending on your circumstances, you may also receive an age allowance or other supplementary allowances on top of the basic amount.
- You receive the Basic Amount from KidsLife automatically.
How much is the basic amount?
Your Child Benefit calculation is based on your child’s date of birth and the regional system under which your child falls (based on your child’s place of residence). So you don’t receive the same amount of Child Benefit everywhere in Belgium.
Does your child live abroad? In this case your employer’s location determines which region is responsible for your Child Benefit payments. If your children live in different regions, then you’ll also receive the Child Benefit that applies in those different regions.
Basic Amount in Flanders
As of 1 January 2019, Child Benefit became known as the Growth Package in Flanders.
The basic amount to which your child is entitled is based on when they were born.
Your basic amount may comprise:
- Basic Amount only: for children born after 2019
- Basic Amount + Supplementary Age Allowance: for children born prior to 2019
Basic Amount
Basic amount per child per month
Only or youngest child
Second youngest child
Third youngest and each subsequent child
Voorbeeld
Ann and Peter have 3 children. Jan is the oldest, born on 1/02/2015. Piet was born on 5/12/2016 and Pol is the youngest, born on 11/12/2018.
Prior to 01/01/2019 Ann and Peter received: €101,69 for Jan, €188,16 for Piet and €259,49 for Pol.
Ann and Peter will retain these amounts from 01/01/2019 onwards, however the amounts will be inverted, and they will receive €259,49for Jan, €188,16 for Piet and €101,69 for Pol.
Supplementary Age Allowance
Children born prior to 2019 also receive a supplementary age allowance on top of the basic amount.
From 6 years
From 12 years
From 18 years
From 6 years
From 12 years
From 18 years
Example
- Yousra and Carl have 2 children: 15-year-old Elien and 13-year-old Joke. Each month they receive €188,16 + €24,92 for Elien and €101,69 + €49,86 for Joke
- Sien and Mahmoud have 2 children: Sem is 14 years old and Nour is 7. Sien and Mahmoud are entitled to supplementary Child Benefit (social allowance) based on their income. In addition to the social allowance, they receive: €188,16 +€49,86 for Sem and €101,69 + €32,63 for Nour
Example: Bjorn’s dad dies on 26 January 2020 (Bjorn is 19 years old). Bjorn is entitled to the basic amount of €176,66 + the orphan’s allowance as of January 2020.
Example: A family moves to Flanders from abroad as of 1 October 2020. They received no Child Benefit payments abroad. They’re entitled to the new basic amounts of €[custom:vl_basisbedrag] per child as of October.
Example 2: Lien is 23 years old. She’s no longer entitled to Child Benefit since her graduation on 1 August 2017. However, she resumes her studies on 1 September 2019. Lien is entitled to the new basic amount of €[custom:vl_basisbedrag] as of September.
Children who are orphaned after 01/01/2019
* If you receive supplementary Child Benefit (e.g. a social allowance based on your income or your child’s medical condition), then your 1st child is also entitled to the same amounts of supplementary age allowance as your 2nd child.
The basic amount for children born prior to 01/01/2019 but who nevertheless receive the new Growth Package amounts
In some cases, children born prior to 01/01/2019 may still receive the new basic Growth Package amount of€176,66.
Cases in which there was no entitlement to Child Benefit in Belgium on 31/12/2018.
Basic Amount in Brussels
The basic amount in Brussels is based on your child’s date of birth.
Brussels Child Benefit up to and including 2019
The former Child Benefit system applied in Brussels up until 31/12/2019.
Brussels Child Benefit from 2020 onwards
The new Brussels model commenced in 2020 and applies to all Brussels children, including those born prior to 1 January 2020. All children living in Brussels consequently receive the new Brussels system amounts as of 1 January 2020.
If the new model amounts are lower than the amounts you received via the former Brussels system, then you’ll retain the former system amounts for children born prior to 1 January 2020. As a consequence, you’ll never receive less Child Benefit in Brussels than you were entitled to at the end of 2019.
KidsLife compares the amounts of both systems on a monthly basis, and automatically applies the new system if this is more advantageous for your family.
Want to learn more about this photo amount? Our case studies make things a lot clearer.
1st Child
2nd Child
3rd child
| Age | Born after 2020 | Born prior to 2020 |
|
0 to 11 years |
175,76 euros per month | 164,04 euros per month |
|
12 to 17 years |
187,47 euro per month | 175,75 euro per month |
| 18 to 24 years (no higher eduction) | 187,47 euros per month | 175,75 euros per month |
| 18 tot 24 jaar (higher education) | 199,19 euros per month | 187,47 euros per month |
| Exception: Families with 1 child and an income of more than 37.126,55 euros gross per year (regardless of age) | 175,76 euros per month | 164,04 euros per month |
Basic Amount in Wallonia
The basic amount in Wallonia is based on your child’s date of birth.
Children born prior to 2020
Were your children born prior to 1 January 2020 and do they live in Wallonia? In that case the former Child Benefit amounts will continue to apply, potentially augmented by the new supplementary Child Benefit allowances.
Children born from 2020 onwards
Were your children born after 1 January 2020 and do they live in Wallonia? In that case you’ll receive the new Walloon system amounts that commenced on 1 January 2020.
View the payment amounts for children born from 2020 onwards
1st Child
2nd child
3rd child
0 - 17 years
18 - 24 years
Were one or more of your children born prior to 1 January 2020 and one or more born after this date? Then your Child Benefit will comprise a combination of the old and new amounts.
Choose for KidsLife
Not yet receiving your Growth Package or Child Benefit from KidsLife? Did you know that you can choose your own payment provider? At KidsLife you never miss out on any benefits.
Want to know how much Child Benefit or Growth Package your family is entitled to?
When will you receive your basic amount?
KidsLife ensures the accurate and punctual payment of your basic amount! We always pay at the start of the following month. What happens if our payment date falls on a weekend or public holiday? Then we pay on the previous working day.
If you’re entitled to backdated Child Benefit or Growth Package payments, then we’ll also pay these as quickly as possible. In addition to our regular monthly payments, we can also make additional deposits on a number of interim monthly payment dates.
Frequently asked questions
Child Benefit is always paid on the 8th of each month. If the 8th falls on a weekend, then we will pay it on the last working day prior to that weekend. Please check our payment calendar for the various payment dates.
The maximum age for Child Benefit and Growth Package entitlement is 25 years. From the age of 18 upwards, you must satisfy certain criteria in order to retain your Child Benefit and Growth Package entitlement. No regular or automatic substitute applies once your entitlement to Child Benefit has ceased. If your child was entitled to a Care Allowance due to a specific support requirement, then they may be entitled to a Disability Allowance once their Child Benefit entitlement has ceased. Please note that this is not an automatic entitlement. It must be requested and the application subsequently investigated.
Grandparents can receive Child Benefit for their grandchildren if they are registered at their address. This is on the condition that the parents are not registered at this same address.
The maximum Growth Package and Child Benefit entitlement is up to and including the month of your 25th birthday. The final payment will therefore take place at the beginning of the month following your 25th birthday. Please note that from the age of 18 upwards you must satisfy a number of criteria in order to retain your Child Benefit entitlement.
Moving house is a major event. KidsLife makes things easy. Simply change your address via your municipality’s registration service and we'll take care of the rest.
Moving abroad? Please let us know.