Frequently Asked Questions
Find all the answers to your frequently asked questions about child allowance, the birth allowance, and much more.
Explore our FAQ for clear and quick information to make your life easier.
Yes. Even if you already receive benefits for another child, you must submit a new application to receive the birth allowance for your new baby.
This ensures the allowance is paid correctly and that future child benefits start automatically.
The application must be submitted through a family allowance fund that is active in the Brussels Region, such as Brussels Family.
We ensure your file is handled quickly and efficiently, so you can focus on what truly matters.
You are entitled to the birth allowance if you live in the Brussels-Capital Region at the time of your application.
If you submit your application after the birth, your child must be officially registered as residing in Brussels.
If you apply during your pregnancy, you will need a medical certificate stating the expected due date.
If you apply after the birth, you must provide a birth certificate or an official extract of the household composition.
Yes, you can. You may apply for the birth allowance up to three years after the birth.
Simply send us your child’s birth certificate. The payment will be made retroactively.
You are entitled to this unconditional right until your child turns 18. From September of the year in which your child reaches this age, certain conditions must be met to continue receiving it. You can keep benefitting from this until your child is 25, if he/she is taking sufficient hours of lessons, enrolling for enough study credits or is registered as a job seeker after leaving school.
Who gets the benefit depends on your family situation. We pay the benefits to the person or institution raising the child:
In most cases this will be the mother, but there are exceptions. We rely on the official population register for this. However, the real situation does not always correspond to what that register indicates. Contact us immediately if the payment is not made to the correct claimant.
If the parents are divorced, the rules are somewhat different. The person who receives the benefits is designated by the legislation relating to your situation. You can also contact us if you want to dispute the decision about the payments.
If there is no person or institution taking on the task of raising the child, we pay the allowance directly to the child. This is the case in the following situations:
The child is married.
The child has been emancipated.
The child is 16 years of age or older, lives in independent accommodation and has no caregiver living with him/her.
The child receives benefits for his/her own children.
Yes, but don’t confuse the two.
The official birth allowance of €1,367.74 is paid by your family allowance fund (Brussels Family). Your health insurance fund may offer an additional benefit, often in the form of a gift or a smaller bonus.
Both can be combined, so make sure to submit both applications.
If you live in the Brussels Region, you are entitled to child benefit for each child who:
- is domiciled in one of the 19 Brussels municipalities, and
- has Belgian nationality or is legally resident in Belgium (with a valid residence permit).
This entitlement is granted unconditionally until 31 August of the year in which the child turns 18. Between the ages of 18 and 25, specific conditions apply (e.g. for studies or job seekers).
Important change from 1 September 2025: foreign students with residence status for studies, voluntary work, vocational training or as an au pair will lose their right to child benefit, unless they already had that right before August 2025.
Of course, it is important to report any change in income to your family allowance fund. If your income comes solely from Belgium, Brussels Family can verify if you are eligible to receive social supplements based on your tax return, every two years. However, it is always recommended to inform us directly in case of an income change.
If you forget to report a decrease in income, Brussels Family can still grant you the supplement retroactively, based on your tax return if you meet the required conditions.
On the other hand, if your income has increased and you do not report it, this could potentially pose a problem. Brussels Family might continue to pay a supplement to which you are no longer entitled without your knowledge, as the tax return often arrives with some delay. When this is detected, the undue social supplements will have to be repaid.
To find out which incomes are taken into account for social supplements, feel free to consult our dedicated page on this subject. In any case, remember that Brussels Family is here to help and support you throughout your journey.
Calculate the amount of child benefits you are entitled to right here
For any questions on this matter, the easiest way is to give us a call at ☎ 02/227.19.60 between 9 AM and 5 PM (until 4 PM on Fridays), or send us an email at info@brusselsfamily.be.
We are happy to help you understand how to modify your household composition. We know that changes in family life can be complicated, but we will explain everything you need to know.
New birth: You simply need to register your child with the civil registry office of your municipality. This will automatically update your household composition and Brussels Family will be informed of this change.
Divorce: Anyone who has left the household (your ex-spouse or yourself) must register their new address with the civil registry office of their municipality. From that moment on, they will no longer be considered part of your household composition and your file will be updated by Brussels Family.
If an additional person comes to live with you, the local police officer will need to verify their presence before your household composition can be updated. Brussels Family will then automatically be informed of this change.
Finally, if a person leaves your household, you simply need to inform the civil registry office again. If this person provides their new address to the civil registry office, no further formalities are required and your household composition will be automatically updated.
If you have any questions about how to modify your household composition, feel free to contact the civil registry office of your municipality. And if you want to know more about social supplements in the context of family allowances, you can find all the information you need on our website.
The conditions for retaining child benefit when studying abroad are complex and depend on many factors: destination, type of studies, duration, residence status, etc.
As each situation is unique, we strongly recommend that you contact us before your child leaves so that we can analyse your specific case and inform you of the necessary steps to take.
Students in higher education (university, college) are entitled to child benefit until the age of 25, provided they are enrolled for at least 27 credits or attend at least 13 hours of classes per week.
To continue receiving child benefit after the age of 18, your child must be enrolled in non-higher education:
- Attend at least 17 hours of classes per week in non-higher education
- OR be enrolled in a recognised apprenticeship programme
- For special situations (specialised education, specific training programmes, etc.), the conditions may vary. We recommend that you contact us to verify eligibility in your specific case.
Yes. In the case of multiple births, you receive a birth allowance for each child.
For twins, this means you will receive the allowance twice (depending on the birth order of the children).
This depends on the country and on your professional situation.
Within the European Economic Area (EEA):
This is possible if you are employed at the time of the birth. Please note: in countries such as France or Luxembourg, the application often needs to be submitted locally first.
Outside the EEA:
You are entitled to the allowance if your stay abroad with your baby does not exceed two months. If you stay longer, a special exemption from the Federal Public Service Social Security is required.
Posting abroad:
If you are posted abroad by a Belgian employer, please contact us for the specific formalities.
Your birth allowance is paid at the earliest two months before the expected due date, even if you submitted your application earlier.
If your situation is different or specific, please feel free to contact us.
The easiest way to apply for the birth allowance is to do it online. To do this, you need to provide us with several personal details (your contact information, your social security number, etc.).
An official document indicating the expected delivery date will be provided to you by your gynecologist, midwife, or attending physician if you have been pregnant for at least six months. After that, we take care of everything for you, especially ensuring the prompt payment of your birth allowance.
You can also send this information by email to info@brusselsfamily.be or by mail (Rue Vésale 31, 1000 Brussels).
You can submit your application for the adoption allowance once the adoption request has been filed with the court and the child is living with the adoptive parent. If you meet these conditions, follow these steps:
- Send us a copy of the adoption request that you filed with the court. For adopted children from abroad, also send us a copy of the adoption certificate from the respective country.
- Generally, we automatically verify your eligibility for an adoption allowance. However, submitting an application can speed up this process. Feel free to call us or send us an email regarding this matter.
Your eligibility for monthly family allowances is automatically assessed at the same time as your eligibility for the adoption allowance. Therefore, you do not need to send a separate application.
As soon as we receive your application, we ensure efficient and quick processing. If everything is filled out correctly, you will receive the birth allowance in your account, at the latest 2 months before the due date. We conduct 5 payment rounds per month to ensure you receive your birth allowance as soon as possible.