Persons who perform work in the Netherlands can benefit from various allowances granted by the government of this country. The Kinderbijslag child benefit constitutes one of such co-financing. In this article, we explain what Kinderbijslag is, as well as we present other important issues related to this topic.
1. What is Kinderbijslag?
Kinderbijslag constitutes a form of financial support for families to partially cover the costs associated with caring for and raising children. The funds received in that way can be used, for example, to buy school textbooks or clothes.
The Sociale Verzekeringsbank institution (SVB for short) is responsible for granting and payment of the benefit in question. This is the Dutch equivalent of the Polish ZUS (Zakład Ubezpieczeń Społecznych – the Social Insurance Institution).
2. Who can apply for Dutch child benefit?
Not only Dutch citizens can benefit from Kinderbijslag family allowance, but also those from other countries. The benefit in question is available to persons who:
- have at least one child,
- have been working legally in the Netherlands for a minimum of 3 months,
- have paid their social security contributions.
It should be emphasised that the basic condition for granting Kinderbijslag is that the persons interested in receiving the allowance take care of the support of children for whom the benefit is to be obtained.
3. Which children the Kinderbijslag benefit is granted for?
Family allowance in the Netherlands is paid for children under the age of 18. Importantly, this concerns the beneficiary’s own children, as well as children of the beneficiary’s current or former partner and children for whom the beneficiary acts as a foster parent or of whom the beneficiary takes actual care.
The general principle is that Kinderbijslag is granted in situations where the parent/guardian and the child live in the same household. However, there are exceptions to this rule. In the event that such an exception occurs and the child has a different registered address, it’s necessary to have documents confirming that all money from Kinderbijslag is used to support the child. This type of proof may include, among others, bank statements.
4. How to obtain Kinderbijslag?
If a given person lives in the Netherlands and has a child born in this country, SVB will send him/her a letter containing information on the right to Kinderbijslag. This should occur within 4 weeks of registering the child’s birth with the Dutch municipality. The application for family allowance can be downloaded from the SVB portal (www.svb.nl/nl/), after logging into the user account.
In the event that the child was born outside the Netherlands, the applicant should ask SVB himself/herself to provide the appropriate information by post. The same applies to adopted, foster and other children raised as his/her own.
The request for child benefit must be submitted to SVB. This can be done online, in person or by regular mail.
The application for Kinderbijslag shall be accompanied by, among others:
- the child’s birth certificate;
- a document confirming the applicant’s identity (identity card or passport);
- a certificate of receiving or not receiving family allowance in the country of origin – in the case of persons who live in a State other than the Netherlands and don’t have Dutch citizenship;
- a document confirming the performance of work in the Netherlands.
In the case of people residing in the Netherlands, the submission of the application occurs only for the first child. If such a person already receives Kinderbijslag and his/her second or subsequent child is born in this country, he/she doesn’t have to present the request again. After the registration of the child’s birth with a Dutch municipality, SVB will automatically modify the amount due and give the appropriate information in writing. However, the situation of enlarging the family again for beneficiaires living outside the Netherlands is slightly different. Then, it’s necessary to report the birth of another child to SVB so that this institution can check whether a given person is entitled to Kinderbijslag for this child.
It’s possible to apply for Dutch family allowance up to 12 months back, counting from the date of submitting the request to SVB.
5. Payment of Dutch child benefit
Dutch child benefit is paid on a quarterly basis. Persons who have been granted this co-financing receive it after each quarter in the first days of January, April, July and October.
Kinderbijslag is transferred to the beneficiary’s account after a full quarter. Therefore, when a child is born, for example, on 22 May 2024, the allowance will be granted to its parent/guardian from 1 July 2024, with the start of the third quarter, and the first payment will take place at the beginning of October 2024, i.e. at the beginning of the fourth quarter.
6. Kinderbijslag benefit amount
The amount of Kinderbijslag benefit depends primarily on the child’s age. The following age ranges apply:
- 0-5 years
- 6-11 years
- 12-17 years
After exceeding certain age tresholds, the amount of Kinderbijslag increases. The first increase concerning family allowance takes place when the child reaches the age of six and the second when the child turns 12. On the other hand, reaching the age of majority means the cessation of payment of this co-financing which occurs in the new quarter. However, it sometimes happens that the entitlement to this benefit expires earlier, e.g. because the child has interrupted education at the age of 16-17.
Having more children, a person who benefits from Kinderbijslag receives more money in the framework of this allowance. Indeed, funds transferred by SVB constitute the sum of the amounts for each of the beneficiary’s children.
7. Kinderbijslag and 800 plus
According to Union law, taxpayers are only entitled to one family benefit. Therefore, it’s impossible to receive this type of benefit in two different States at the same time, e.g. Kinderbijslag in the Netherlands and its equivalent from the country of origin. Hence, Poles who benefit from the 800+ scheme in Poland can’t receive Dutch family allowance despite working in the Netherlands. However, in a situation where the benefit from Poland is lower than the amount that could be received in the framework of Kinderbijslag co-financing, the Dutch office pays the appropriate difference – the so-called differential suplement.
In the event that the child’s parents/guardians work in the different countries, the application for this type of funding should be submitted where the child is registered.
8. Changes concerning the situation of a recipient of Dutch child benefit
Changes concerning the family or professional situation of a person who receives Kinderbijslag (e.g. entering into a marriage or civil partnership outside the Netherlands) must be reported to SVB. Indeed, their occurrence may affect the right to obtain child benefit, as well as its amount. The time limit for reporting changes is 4 weeks for persons living in the Netherlands and 6 weeks for those living in another country. Up-to-date information shall be provided on time to avoid penalties for its non-delivery or late submission.
The applicant is obliged to provide true and complete information that SVB must have at its disposal when paying Kinderbijslag. Failure to fulfil this obligation may result in consequences such as: a fine, initiation of proceedings to determine the beneficiary’s right to the benefit or initiation of an investigation into a case of fraud.
9. Double amount of Kinderbijslag
There are specific situations in which it’s possible to apply for so-called dubbele kinderbijslag, i.e. Kinderbijslag benefit at twice its standard amount. This is in connection with higher childcare costs. It takes place, for example, in the event that the child lives away from home due to study, illness or disability. Dutch family allowance in double amount is also available if the child lives in the family home but requires intensive care due to health problems.
10. Kindgebonden Budget
It’s important to know that additional financial assistance is provided for persons receiving Kinderbijslag and also obtaining low income. This is a suplement to Kinderbijslag called Kindgebonded Budget and its amount depends on family income, as well as on the number of children. As a rule, lower income and more children mean that it’s possible to receive a higher amount in the framework of Kindgebonden Budget. This allowance is granted by the Dutch tax office – Belastingdienst.
11. Legal notice
The study is a work within the meaning of the Act of 4 February 1994 on Copyright and Related Rights (OJ 2006, No. 90, item 631, consolidated text, as amended). Publishing or reproducing this study or its part, quoting opinions, as well as disseminating in any other way the information contained therein without the written consent of Crede sp. z o.o. is prohibited.
