Frequently Asked Questions

Studying abroad can affect your Child Benefit or Growth Package payments. 
We require a school certificate from the foreign school concerned on an annual basis. This certificate must confirm a valid enrolment in a study programme that entitles you to Child Benefit. 

We'll pause payments pending receipt of the requisite school certificate, in order to prevent erroneous Child Benefit and Growth Package payments being made. 
What do we do once we’ve received a valid school certificate entitling you to Child Benefit or the Growth Package? We'll subsequently resume payments and pay out any overdue amounts. 

Studying in Europe? Then we require an E402 document. Studying outside Europe? Then we require a P7INT document. 

Child benefit conditions for students

An unconditional entitlement to Child Benefit applies up to the age of 18 in Flanders, and up to and including the month of August of the year in which the young person concerned turns 18 in Brussels and Wallonia. Providing that you satisfy certain conditions, you can retain your Child Benefit entitlement up to the age of 25 in the event that the young person concerned continues their studies or qualifies as a (job-seeking) school leaver after completing their studies.

If you live in Wallonia, a semi-automatic entitlement to Child Benefit applies. This semi-automatic entitlement to Child Benefit applies until the end of the month in which the young person concerned turns 21. This means that the young person is entitled to Child Benefit regardless of whether they’re still studying or registered as a job-seeker, except in specific circumstances. View these circumstances here.

Child Benefit for students
Child Benefit for school-leavers

Receiving unemployment benefits suspends the right to Child Benefit or Growth Package. We receive all the information we need automatically, but sometimes we receive it a bit late. So, if you already know your child is going to receive unemployment benefits, please contact us so we can already adapt your file.

In Flanders, registration with the VDAB is not mandatory for commencing 12 months as a job-seeking school leaver. We do, however, recommend that you actively register via the website or the freephone number 0800 30 700!
In Brussels and Wallonia, registration with Actiris or FOREM is mandatory for commencing the period as a job-seeking school leaver. You can do this by signing up on their website or visiting your local Actiris or FOREM office.

Discover everything you need to know about Child Benefit for school leavers here.

Have you graduated or completed your studies? Then you might still be entitled to Child Benefit as a school leaver. Different conditions apply, depending on the region in which you live. 
View the conditions that apply to Child Benefit for school leavers here.

Being a single parent doesn’t automatically entitle you to a social allowance. 

Your family income must not exceed a certain threshold to be eligible to receive this. The fact that you are a single or divorced parent likely has an influence on your family income. This may make you eligible. 

The threshold amounts and the composition of this Social Allowance depend on where you and your children live: Flanders, Brussels or Wallonia. 

KidsLife automatically pays your Social Allowance if you are entitled to it! We do this following receipt of your tax return. We always receive this 2 years after the income year. 

Example:
We (re)evaluate your Social Allowance for 2019 in 2021. We receive confirmation of your 2019 income from the federal government in 2021.  

Eligible for this allowance and prefer not to wait 2 years? Contact your KidsLife adviser to submit an application. 

View all of the conditions pertaining to the Social Allowance here

You are entitled to a Social Allowance if your gross family income is less than a certain threshold. We receive an overview of your total family income from the FPS Finance, based on your tax return.
Your definitive data is only available 2 years later.
For example, your 2019 income will only be available in 2021.

Thus it is only possible to make a (definitive) validation of your Social Allowance entitlement 2 years after the date. 

Already received a Social Allowance payment? Then we will check whether you have received this correctly.
 
Not yet received a Social Allowance payment? Then we will examine your eligibility and potentially pay the supplement retroactively. 

Check your eligibility for the Social Allowance here. 

KidsLife assists low-income families by paying them a supplementary allowance: the Social Allowance. 
The Social Allowance is entirely dependent on your personal situation: your place of residence, your income and your family circumstances.

View all of the conditions that apply to your Social Allowance here

If your family income changes, this can affect your entitlement to the social allowance and the selective participation allowance (school allowance). Your entitlement is automatically investigated based on your income from 2 years ago (via your tax return). Suddenly earning significantly more and receiving a social allowance from KidsLife?
 Then please notify us so that we can terminate your social allowance and consequently prevent a potential clawback payment.

Now earning significantly less and not currently receiving a social allowance from KidsLife? Then contact us so that we can send you the relevant form. Please complete this form specifying your income and return it to us, together with the necessary supporting documents.

Your family may be entitled to supplementary child benefit in addition to the standard Growth Package and Child Benefit amounts (to which every child is entitled). You can view all types of supplementary child benefit here.

In many cases you needn’t submit a request for supplementary child benefit and we automatically ensure that you receive the correct entitlement. However, you may have to submit a request to KidsLife in certain situations.  Believe that you qualify for an allowance, but aren’t currently receiving it? Then please contact your KidsLife adviser, who’ll gladly assist.