The Support Allowance comprises a supplementary allowance of €324.73 per month on top of the Care Allowance for children and young people of up to 21 years of age with severe care needs. A care need comprising at least 12 points on the medical-social scale is a prerequisite for receiving this allowance.

Some children continue to receive the Support Allowance up to 25 years of age. This applies to children who were entitled to a Basic Support Budget on 31/12/2022 and are on the Intersectoral Gateway waiting list.

This Support Allowance will be paid automatically from 1 January 2023, in addition to the monthly basic Growth Package amount.

You need to satisfy certain conditions in order to be eligible for the Support Allowance. Eligibility is based on a medical-social scale. Your payment provider will investigate whether you are entitled to this allowance and over what period of time.

Conditions:

• Your child lives in Flanders or the Brussels Capital Region.
• Your child may be entitled to the allowance up to and including the month in which they turn 21.
• Your child must be Belgian, or permitted or authorised to reside in Belgium.
• Your child is entitled to the Support Allowance provided that it scores at least 12 points on the medical-social scale for the 3 pillars combined.
• If your child was entitled to a Basic Support Budget on 31/12/2022 and is on the Intersectoral Gateway, the Support Allowance will apply up to the maximum age of 25.

You are not entitled to support if your child:

• is enrolled in a residential school or a residential school offering accommodation on both school and school-free days run by a medical pedagogical institute within the Flemish Community Education system
• claims a personal assistance budget
• receives a basic support budget
• claims a non-directly accessible care and support budget (disability-specific support for persons with a recognised disability, for whom intensive support is necessary.)
• is younger than 21 years of age and receives an income replacement allowance or integration allowance
• makes use of person-centred resources for minors with a disability with urgent needs 
• attends a multifunctional centre for minors with a disability
• resides in a residential disabled facility
• makes use of non-directly accessible youth care and resides in a special youth care organisation or a child care and family support centre
• resides in a social institution
• makes use of an outpatient disability facility that provides similar help and services to non-directly accessible care and support
• resides in a detention unit
• receives support via an observation, diagnostic or treatment unit
• resides in a prison or institution (civil protection department) run by the federal government, or a forensic psychiatric centre run by the federal government

You do not have to apply for children living in Flanders. KidsLife automatically investigates whether you are entitled to the Support Allowance or not. This allowance will be paid automatically (from January 2023) in addition to the monthly basic Growth Package amount.

Does your child live in the Brussels Capital Region? He/she might also be entitled to a Support Allowance if he/she satisfies the eligibility criteria. In this case you must submit an application. Believe you qualify for a Support Allowance? Then please return the completed application form to KidsLife.