Child budget
Child budget is an extra payment for families with children. It is paid every month by Dienst Toeslagen. You can get child budget if you receive child benefit and your income is below a certain level.
The child budget will start from the month following the birth of your child.
Example
Sarah was born on 15 April. The parent who claims the child benefit can receive child budget as from 1 May.
Whether you need to claim child budget yourself depends on your situation.
If you are already receiving a benefit from Dienst Toeslagen
If you already receive a benefit from Dienst Toeslagen, such as rent benefit or healthcare benefit , you do not need to claim child budget yourself. Dienst Toeslagen will look at your income. Your partner’s income will also be taken into account. If your income is below a certain level, you will receive a letter within 8 weeks of your child’s birth informing you how much child budget you can get.
If you have not received a letter
If after 8 weeks you have not received a letter and you think you may qualify for child budget, you should submit a claim to Dienst Toeslagen.
If you are not already receiving a benefit from Dienst Toeslagen
If you are not already receiving a benefit from Dienst Toeslagen, you should submit a claim for child budget to them as soon as possible.
Child budget stops when child benefit stops, for example because your child turns 18.
If you are co-parenting , you and your ex-partner should decide together what works best for you. The parent with less income can usually get a higher child budget. Child budget is paid to the parent who has claimed the child benefit. You and your ex-partner must decide together which of you will claim child benefit.
If you do not receive child benefit for a child aged 16 or 17, you may still be able to get child budget. See the qualifying conditions below.
If your child lives away from home
- Your child benefit stopped because your child left school without a school-leaving qualification
If your child lives away from home
- You must contribute at least €522 per quarter to the support of your child, and
- Your child benefit stopped because your child left school without a school-leaving qualification
If one of these situations applies to your child, we will inform Dienst Toeslagen that you qualify for child budget again. You do not have to do this yourself.