Belgium offers its citizens and residents a range of social benefits that help improve the quality of life of families with children. The payment system includes both maternity benefits and regular family payments that provide support for everyday expenses. In this article, we will take a detailed look at what benefits are available in Belgium, how to get them, and what conditions must be met to receive social support.
Conditions for receiving and amount of the benefit
In Belgium, maternity benefits are provided to both residents and citizens of the country. This is financial support aimed at covering the initial expenses associated with the birth of a new family member. Parents residing in Belgium, regardless of their citizenship, have the right to receive the benefit, provided that a number of requirements are met. Details about the application process and the amount of child benefits in Belgium will be discussed in this section.
Stages of registration of benefits.
- Contact your social security or family fund (e.g. Famiwal for Wallonia or Kind en Gezin for Flanders).
Address: depending on the region, e.g. for Famiwal – Rue des Freres Wright 29, 6041 Gosselies.
Phone: +32 (0) 800 93 930. Website: www.famiwal.be . - Fill out an application for benefits, indicating information about the child and parents.
- Provide copies of the required documents: child’s birth certificate, parents’ identity cards, proof of residence.
- Confirm your parents’ status (employed, unemployed or self-employed) – this will affect the method and timing of payments.
- Please wait for your application to be processed – this takes on average 4-6 weeks.
The amount of maternity benefit in Belgium varies by region, but is usually between €1,100 and €1,200. For working parents, the application process is simplified by automatic data integration by the employer. Unemployed and self-employed individuals must provide additional supporting documents. Submitting the application on time and fulfilling all requirements ensures that the application is processed quickly.
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Tip: In Belgium, the benefit amount can be increased upon the birth of a second or subsequent child, which encourages families to expand.
Maternity leave and child care allowance
Maternity leave in Belgium is available to employed women, as well as to the self-employed and unemployed under certain conditions. It lasts for 15 weeks, of which 6 weeks can be used before the birth of the child and 9 weeks after. Men and partners can also take paternity or partner leave to support the mother and child in the first weeks of life.
Stages of registration of maternity leave.
- Preparation of documents:
- Medical certificate of pregnancy and expected date of birth
- Employment contract or confirmation of self-employed status
- Contacting the relevant authority:
- For employees – social insurance fund (RSZ/ONSS)
- For the self-employed – social secretariat (depending on the registration network)
- Contact details: official website , phone: +32 2 511 51 51
- Amount of payments:
- First 30 days: up to 82 percent of the average monthly salary
- From day 31: fixed rate determined by the state
- Waiting time:
- Application review takes from 2 to 4 weeks
- Information update:
- Notification of the birth of a child to the local municipality for further processing of benefits
To receive child care benefits in Belgium, you must meet a number of conditions, including permanent residence in the country and proof of income. The benefit is paid for each child until they reach 18 years of age, or longer if they continue their education. Parents may also be eligible for additional payments if the child has a disability or special needs. The benefit is issued through family funds operating in each region of the country.
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Fun fact: In Belgium, both parents can share extra weeks of leave to spend more time with their baby in the first months of life.
Family benefits in Belgium
Family benefits in Belgium are an important part of social support, especially for families with several children. They include various payments aimed at compensating for expenses related to the upbringing and education of children. For families with many children, additional benefits are provided to help cope with financial difficulties. It is important to understand what rights and obligations parents have in order to use this assistance in a timely manner.
Types of family benefits:
- Child benefit
- Amount: from 100 to 200 euros per month depending on the region.
- Payment terms: monthly.
- Where to apply: Family Benefits Fund (addresses and websites vary by region).
- Allowance for large families
- Amount: additional 50-100 euros for the third and subsequent children.
- Conditions: presence of three or more children under 18 years of age.
- Documents: birth certificates, parents’ identity cards.
- Allowance for a child with disabilities
- Amount: up to 400 euros per month depending on the degree of disability.
- Conditions: availability of supporting medical documents.
- Waiting time: up to 3 months after application submission.
- One-time benefit for the birth of a child
- Size: about 1000 euros.
- Conditions: The application must be submitted within the first six months after the birth of the child.
- Where to apply: local social security office.
- Additional payments for education
- Amount: from 50 to 150 euros at the beginning of the school year.
- Conditions: children of school or college age.
- Payment terms: once a year.
Final paragraph:
In recent years, the family benefit system in Belgium has undergone some changes. For example, from 2024, the amount of payments for low-income families will increase. There are also plans to revise the conditions for receiving assistance for large families to make the system fairer. It is important for parents to keep up with the changes in order to submit documents on time and receive all the benefits due.
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Important: In Belgium, family benefits are regulated at the regional level, so the conditions and amounts of payments may differ depending on where you live.
Tax breaks for families with children
In Belgium, parents can count on tax deductions that depend on the number of children in the family, their age and the overall family income. The basic deduction for one child is about 1,600 euros per year, for two children – 4,050 euros, and for three or more – 9,310 euros. Expenses for education, kindergartens and sports sections are also compensated in the amount of up to 45% of actual costs, but not more than 14 euros per day per child.
Table: amounts of tax benefits for families with children:
| Number of children | Low Income Allowance (per year) | Average Income Allowance (per year) | High Income Allowance (per year) |
| 1 child | 1,600 euros | 1,200 euros | 800 euros |
| 2 children | 4,050 euros | 3,600 euros | 2,800 euros |
| 3 children | 9 310 euros | 8,500 euros | 7,000 euros |
| 4 children | 15,500 euros | 13,700 euros | 11,200 euros |
Tax breaks directly increase a family’s available income, reducing the tax burden. For example, a family with an average income and two children can save up to 3,600 euros per year. This allows parents to use the freed-up funds to improve their quality of life, such as paying for additional educational programs or family vacations.
To submit an application, you must provide documents confirming your right to benefits. These documents include:
- birth certificates of children;
- receipts for payment of educational or medical services;
- tax returns for last year.
You can apply via the online portal of the tax office (https://finances.belgium.be ) or at your local tax office. The processing time for your application is between 4 and 12 weeks.
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Tip: Families with four or more children in Belgium are entitled to additional benefits that may exempt them from income tax entirely.
Features for expats and immigrants
In Belgium, immigrants and expats can claim various social benefits, provided that they are officially registered with the country’s social security system. To receive benefits such as child care or disability benefits, you must be registered with at least one of the state insurance funds and have worked in Belgium for a certain amount of time. For example, to receive unemployment benefits, you must have worked for at least 12 months in the last 2 years.
To receive social assistance, it is important to prove a permanent income or a stable employment contract. In the case of children, even those who work part-time may be eligible for benefits if they are officially employed in the country.
Table: Documents required to apply for benefits:
| Type of benefit | Required documents | Document Description |
| Unemployment benefit | – Proof of residence in Belgium | Certificate of residence or passport |
| – Employment contract or dismissal | Copy of employment contract, notice of termination of contract | |
| – Certificate of income for the last year | Tax return or income certificate from employer | |
| Child benefit | – Birth certificates of children | Original or copy of each child’s birth certificate |
| – Certificate of family income | Tax return for the last year, income certificate | |
| Disability benefit | – Medical certificate | A conclusion from a doctor or medical institution |
| – Work card or documents from the social service | Document confirming registration in the social security system |
Expats working in Belgium can count on benefits such as unemployment compensation, sickness, maternity and childcare benefits. All these payments depend on the length of employment in the country. However, it is important to note that there is a mandatory requirement for immigrants: they must have a residence permit in Belgium, as well as be registered with the social security system. This way, they can access government support programs.
Parental benefits for children’s education, assistance with health care, and housing allowances are also available to expats if the family is having difficulty paying rent. All application requirements must be met to remain eligible.
