Frequently Asked Questions

You form a de facto family if…
… you live with another person at the same address ...
…and you collectively contribute to the household finances ...
…and you’re not a relative up until the third degree ...

In other words, you cannot form a de facto family with your first-, second-, or third-degree relatives (or in-laws), such as your sister, stepbrother, dad, grandmother, or aunt.

You can therefore form a de facto family with your “cousin”. This implies the fourth-degree child of your aunt or uncle.

Thus you needn’t be married or legally cohabiting. Whether you are of the same or a different sex makes absolutely no difference.

Still unsure whether you form a de facto family? Then check this with your KidsLife adviser.

A Child Benefit certificate serves as proof that KidsLife pays Child Benefit for your child(ren). 
Would you like to request or download such a certificate? You can obtain a certificate via your online Child Benefit file in 5 minutes.

If you have already applied for your Maternity Allowance or Starting Amount, then you will automatically receive your Child Benefit or Growth Package following the birth of your child. 
So you need no longer submit an application when your baby is born! Registering the birth of your child with the municipality where you live is sufficient. 

The exact timing of your Child Benefit or Growth Package payments depends on where you live. It’s important to note that your Child Benefit and Growth Package will be paid in the following month, just like your salary or benefits:

For example: you will receive your Child Benefit or Growth Package payments for the month of May around 8 June. 

Growth package in Flanders

You will receive your Growth Package from the month of birth onwards. 
For example: if your child was born on 2 March, you will receive your Growth Package from the month of March. The payment for the month of March occurs on 8 April. 

Child benefit in Brussels and Wallonia

You will receive your Child Benefit in the month following the birth:
For example: if your child was born on 2 March, you will receive your Child Benefit from the month of April. The payment for the month of April occurs on 8 May.

Haven’t yet applied for your Maternity Allowance or Starting Amount? 

Request this quickly and easily online at KidsLife! 

When to submit a Growth Package or Child Benefit application

1. You are new to Belgium and don’t yet receive your Child Benefit or Growth Package
2. You haven’t received Child Benefit or Growth Package payments for more than 1 year.

When NOT to submit a Growth Package or Child Benefit application

1. If you have already applied for the Maternity Allowance or Starting Amount from KidsLife. We automatically pay your Child Benefit and Growth Package following the birth of your child.
2. When moving home
3. If you already receive your Child Benefit or Growth Package in Belgium. Want to become a customer? You can become a KidsLife customer in no time!

Would you like to submit an application?

Apply online quickly and easily here!

 

If your child resides in an institution, then 2/3 of their child benefit will be paid to the institution or the Agency responsible for the placement. The remaining 1/3rd of their child benefit can be paid to the beneficiary(ies), a specific individual or an escrow account in the child's name. This is determined according to the child’s individual situation. Your KidsLife adviser will perform the necessary in your file, based on the information received from the institution or agency responsible for the placement. 
Do you have any questions related to Child Benefit for children residing in an institution? Please contact your KidsLife adviser

This entirely depends on the children’s place of residence:

The children live in Flanders

Children born prior to 01/01/2019 are entitled to an age supplement that increases at the ages of 6, 12 and 18 years. You can view how much their Child Benefit increases one month following their birthday here. 

Children born after 01/01/2019 no longer receive an age supplement and instead receive a monthly fixed amount of 163.20 euros. 

The children live in Brussels

Brussels children whose families have an annual income of more than 31,620 euros gross per year, receive the same amount at every age. This is 142.80 euros per month for Brussels children born prior to 2020, and 153 euros per month for Brussels children born after 2020.

If your family has a gross annual income of less than 31,620 euros per year, then you will receive increased Child Benefit at the ages of 12 and 18. Calculate the exact amounts for your personal situation here. 

The children live in Wallonia

Children born prior to 01/01/2020 are entitled to an age supplement that increases at the ages of 6, 12 and 18 years. You can view how much their Child Benefit increases one month following their birthday here. 

Children born after 01/01/2020 are not entitled to an age supplement. You will instead receive 158.10 euros per month from birth until the age of 18. Once Walloon children become adults, you receive an additional 10 euros: 168.10 euros per month. 

Would you like to view your Child Benefit or Growth Package composition? Then take a look at My KidsLife, your online Child Benefit file at KidsLife 

If your bank account number has been closed, then please notify your KidsLife customer adviser immediately. We’ll ensure that no subsequent payments are made to this account. You can enter a new bank account number on your My KidsLife customer portal or on the 'Growth Package or Child Benefit bank account payment' form. If a payment has already been transferred to the closed bank account, then the amount will immediately be returned to the KidsLife bank account. We’ll subsequently delete your bank account number and repay the amount via a circular cheque that’s sent to your home address. 

The Child Benefit scheme in Brussels was revised with effect from 01/01/2020. If you were receiving Child Benefit prior to 2020, then a transitional measure currently applies. This means that you’ll continue to receive the same amount as before, providing that the new amount is less than the old one. In other words, you’ll always receive the higher amount. We refer to that higher amount as the ‘photo amount’.

We’ll continue to pay this photo amount until the amount calculated in the new scheme is the same or higher.

When will this amount be re-evaluated?

The photo amount is re-evaluated upon changes to your family circumstances: 

• A child is born
• A child leaves the family
• A child is no longer entitled to Child Benefit
• A child is suspended (for example: a student working more than 240 hours per quarter)
• An entitlement to supplementary allowance applies

These transitional measures apply for 5 years with effect from 1/1/2020.

Want to know how much Child Benefit you’re entitled to? Then take a look at My KidsLife, your online Child Benefit file from KidsLife

 

KidsLife will always notify you in the event that you’re going to receive a reduction in your Child Benefit entitlement. This can be for several reasons. Please contact your KidsLife customer adviser if you have any questions regarding the amount that you receive. You can alternatively view your online Growth Package or Child Benefit file via My KidsLife

KidsLife customers can readily change the bank account number to which their Child Benefit and Growth Package are deposited on their myKidsLife online Child Benefit file.
You can also submit your new bank account number in writing! The document for submitting a new bank account number in writing is available here. 
Prefer to submit your bank account number in another way? Then please contact your KidsLife adviser directly.