What’s my family composition used for?

We use your family composition to determine which children are entitled to the Groeipakket (Flanders) or Child Benefit (Brussels/Wallonia), and to whom we should make the payments.

Your Child Benefit Fund is automatically notified of all changes in your family composition. Indeed, your Child Benefit file is linked to the Belgian National Register. Thus you needn’t contact your Child Benefit Fund to notify them of any changes.

If you have any questions about the impact a particular change in your family composition may have on your Child Benefit or Growth Package, then please contact a KidsLife customer adviser. You can also readily simulate a change in your family composition via our online simulation tool.

Where can I view my family composition?

You can view your current family composition at the population service of the municipality in which you’re domiciled. You can also ask them for a family composition certificate if desired. You needn’t request your family composition from your municipality’s population service on behalf of your Child Benefit Fund yourself. KidsLife automatically receives every change in your family composition via the National Register.

How and when should I update my family composition?

If someone moves in with you or someone leaves the family, then your family composition must be updated. You do this by contacting your municipality’s population service.

• the birth of a new baby: When you report the birth of your baby to the population service, the baby will be added to your family composition. Your Child Benefit Fund will automatically be informed of this change and can immediately start making your Child Benefit or Growth Package payments. Apply for Maternity Allowance here. 
   
• divorce: If your ex-partner leaves the family, then he or she will have to register a new domicile address with his or her municipality’s population service. Your ex-partner will be removed from your family composition as of that date. Your Child Benefit Fund will automatically be informed of the change and will amend your file accordingly. If your ex-partner fails to register a new address, then you can request to have this person deleted from your address yourself. A community police officer must confirm your revised family circumstances before your family composition can be amended.
   
• someone moves in with you: If a new person moves in, a community police officer must confirm your revised family circumstances before your family composition can be adapted. Your Child Benefit Fund will automatically be informed of the change and will adapt your file accordingly.
   
• a member of the family leaves: is one of your children leaving the nest? You must also inform the population service of this change. You never have to report this twice. Once the family member who has left informs the population service of their new address, you needn’t do any more.  Your family composition will be adapted automatically.

View all information about the impact of cohabiting or living alone on your entitlement to the Social Allowances that can be awarded as a supplement to your Child Benefit here.

How do I prove my family composition if I live abroad?

We can never pay Child Benefit for children if it’s unclear to us where they reside. If you live abroad, we’ll be unable to find you in the Belgian population register. You must therefore ask the population service of the municipality in which you live to complete an E401 document on an annual basis. The municipality will confirm your family composition on this document. The E401 document will be sent yearly.