An Expat’s Guide to Child Benefits in the Netherlands

Childbirth is one of the most fulfilling and beautiful moments for any couple. However, raising a child can be very exhausting and overwhelming. It is even more difficult if you’re a new parent trying to manage everything without having your family around. Most expats prefer having their parents over for a short stay to help care for the child.

Although it’s the most rewarding experience, child care is expensive. From hospitalization, childbirth, and vaccinations to diapers and daycare, the costs are never-ending. It can be a struggle even if the child is born in a double-income household. Some people hire an au pair for the baby, but the process can be extremely tedious and costly.

To make things easier for new parents, the Dutch government provides child benefits (kinderbijslag) to help bear the costs of raising a child. If you are a parent with a child/children under 18 years of age, you can avail child benefits, depending on some criteria.

Child Benefits and Eligibility in the Netherlands

Child Benefits are the monetary contribution offered by the Dutch government to help parents bear the expenses of raising children. They are granted by SVB – the Social Insurance Bank (Sociale Verzekeringsbank), an organization that provides social insurance schemes. To claim child benefits, you and your children must be registered and living in the Netherlands.

Once you become a parent, you must register your child’s birth in your local municipality. The SVB then sends you a letter informing you to claim for benefits. The letter explains the procedure for applying for the benefits. There are various means to contact the SVB. Their service is also available in English for expats.

You can approach the SVB directly if you don’t receive a letter from them. Depending on your situation, they can then direct you to apply for child benefits. You receive the benefit every quarter, in the first week of January, April, July, and October. The first payment date depends on your baby’s birthdate.

You can also claim child benefits in the following situations:

• You adopt a child and register it with the municipality.
• Your partner’s child starts living with you.
• You have a foster child and have taken full responsibility for their upbringing. This situation is valid if you are not getting a foster care allowance and nobody else is receiving benefits for the foster child.
• You are raising someone else’s child as your own. You can be the child’s legal guardian or someone bearing all their costs.

Child Benefits in Different Family Situations

If you and your partner’s relationship status changes while receiving child benefits, it can affect your right to avail the benefits. The following situations can impact your child benefits entitlement:

You and your partner get divorced or separated: In case of separation, the child benefit is paid to the parent who gets the child’s custody. If you and your partner are co-parenting and both share the costs of the child’s upbringing, you must agree on how to split the benefits. If you don’t make an agreement, each parent receives half the benefit amount.

You are getting married or going to live with someone: If your partner is receiving child benefits, you must decide whether you or your partner will receive the benefits for all the children or you each receive benefits for your own children.

One of the parents dies: If the parent receiving the benefits dies, SVB decides whether the living parent can get the benefits. If the parent dies in the Netherlands, you don’t need to inform the SVB. If the death occurs outside the country, you need to report to the SVB.

If your child has died: You will stop receiving child benefits from the quarter after the death of your child. The SVB will send you a letter informing you and stating the new amount if you’re getting benefits for another child. If your child has died outside the Netherlands, you must inform the SVB.

Your child has turned 16: Child benefit rules are different for children aged 16 and 17. Your right to child benefits depends on whether your child has a school-leaving qualification.

Your child has turned 18: You will stop getting child benefits once your child turns 18. The SVB decides when to stop your benefits on the first day of the quarter, depending on the child’s birthdate.

If you’re living and working outside the Netherlands: Your right to child benefits may stop if you start working or living outside the country. However, you may still be entitled to the benefits if you work in the Netherlands but live elsewhere.

If your situation changes in any of the above ways, you must inform the SVB within four weeks or six weeks if you are outside the Netherlands.

The benefit amounts per child for 2025 are:

• €281.69 for 0-5 years
• €342.05 for 6-11 years
• €402.41 for 12-17 years

Child Benefits at Twice the Basic Rate

If you have a child who needs special care, you are eligible to receive child benefits at twice the normal rate. To claim this, the doctor or specialist must declare that your child needs extra care due to an illness, disability, or disorder. Also, your child must qualify for the WIz care indication by the CIZ (Care Needs Assessment Center).

Child Budget

If your household income is below a certain level, you can receive a child budget (kinderbonden budget) on your existing child benefits. The Dutch tax department (Belastingdienst) automatically pays you the child budget if you are eligible. If you are not receiving the child budget, you can apply for it yourself. You must inform the tax department of any change in your income.

Read Also: How to Financially Prepare for Your Children’s Future

Childcare Allowances

If your child goes to daycare, you can apply for an allowance (Kinderopvangtoeslag) with the tax department to help with childcare costs. You are eligible for a childcare allowance of a maximum of 230 hours per month if you meet these conditions:

• You and your partner are both studying or working full-time.
• You and your child are living together at the address registered in the municipality.
• You have signed a contract with a registered daycare center.
• You partly pay the daycare costs.
• You have a valid residence permit or an EU nationality.

You can use this online tool to calculate your childcare allowances for 2025.

We hope to have solved your doubts about child benefits in the Netherlands. You know where to go if you are looking for help to reduce your childcare expenses.