Child benefit at twice the basic rate

If you pay extra costs for your child because they live away from home or because they have extensive care needs, you may qualify for child benefit at twice the basic rate.

Click ‘Next’ to go to the next part of the explanation.

Is your child living at home or somewhere else?

To see whether you can get child benefit at twice the basic rate, we must first determine whether your child is living at home or somewhere else.

Under the Dutch child benefit scheme, a child is considered to be living away from home if they do not sleep at home for at least 4 nights a week.

Your child is still considered to be living at home if they:

  • are on holiday or away for a few months on a trip
  • stay in hospital for less than 6 months
  • live somewhere else, but you or the other parent visits them for at least 46 days per quarter

Your child is considered to be living away from home if they:

  • have been taken into care
  • have gone into hospital for longer than 6 months

When can you get child benefit at twice the basic rate?

That depends on your child’s situation.

What are the conditions?

You can get child benefit at twice the basic rate if your child:

  • is aged 3 or older, and under 18
  • spends at least 4 nights per week at home with you
  • has a Wlz  care indication under the long-term care scheme or a positive opinion from the Care Needs Assessment Centre (CIZ )

How to apply

It is not always necessary for you to apply for child benefit at twice the basic rate. This will depend on the date of the Wlz care indication.

How to apply

If your child already has a positive opinion from the CIZ and meets all the other conditions, but you are not yet receiving child benefit at twice the basic rate, please send us an application.

If you need any further information, you can contact us.

When can you get child benefit at the basic rate?

If your child’s situation is not mentioned here, you cannot get child benefit at twice the basic rate. But you can still get child benefit at the basic rate.

You can get child benefit at the basic rate for a child living away from home if you contribute at least €512 per quarter to your child’s support.

When can you get child benefit at twice the basic rate?

This depends on what kind of education your child gets. You must also contribute at least €1,358 per quarter to your child’s support.

If your child is 16 or 17, some of the child benefit rules will change. We will, for example, look at whether your child has a school-leaving qualification .

When can you get child benefit at twice the basic rate?

You can get this if your child lives in an institution because of illness or a disability, and the costs of the institution are covered by:

  • the Long-term Care Act (Wlz )
  • the Youth Act (‘Jeugdwet’)
  • your health insurance

If your child stays in hospital for longer than expected, you can get child benefit at twice the basic rate as from the time your child has been in hospital for longer than 6 months. If it is clear from the beginning that your child’s stay will last longer than 6 months, you can get child benefit at twice the basic rate for the whole period.

When can you get child benefit at twice the basic rate?

You can get child benefit at twice the basic rate if your child lives away from home in a centre of excellence for sport.

You must contribute at least €1,358 per quarter to your child’s support.

If your child is 16 or 17, some of the child benefit rules will change. We will, for example, look at whether your child has a school-leaving qualification .

Your child has received a Wlz care indication

If your child has a Wlz care indication and they meet all the other conditions, you can get child benefit at twice the basic rate.

Neither

If you think you qualify for child benefit at twice the basic rate, send us an application. 

In order for you to qualify for child benefit at twice the basic rate, you must have a positive opinion from the CIZ. We will ask the CIZ to assess your child’s care needs and to give us their opinion. For their assessment, the CIZ will also need certain information from you.

Your child was given a Wlz care indication on or after 1 July 2024

If you have already given the CIZ permission to share your data, you do not have to do anything else. We will send you a letter automatically. If your child meets the qualifying conditions, you will automatically get child benefit at twice the basic rate.

If you have not given the CIZ permission to share your details with us, you can still apply for child benefit at twice the basic rate but you will have to send us the application yourself.

Your child was given a Wlz care indication before 1 July 2024

You can apply to us for child benefit at twice the basic rate

You must inform us if your child starts living away from home

If your child starts living away from home, you must let us know within 4 weeks. You can report this via My SVB.

If you live outside the Netherlands, you must let us know about the change within 6 weeks.

If you cannot report the change online via My SVB, please contact us.

How to apply

To apply for child benefit at twice the basic rate, please contact us.

How to apply

Check first whether it is worth your while to submit an application. You can do so by answering a few questions.

If you need any further information, you can contact us.

How to apply

If you think you qualify for child benefit at twice the basic rate, please contact us to apply for it.