Guest post in collaboration with Infino. If you join Infino via a link on this website, thevillage.be receives a small commission that helps us do what we do!

Raising children may be one of the most rewarding experiences in life, but there’s no denying the fact that it’s a costly one. Belgium’s child benefit system aims to help children and their families flourish, by supporting them with a monthly allowance. If you’re new to the Belgian system, and your child is or will be domiciled in Brussels, or you’re moving to Brussels from within Belgium, then here are the basics of what you need to know.

Am I entitled to receive child benefits?

Every child domiciled in Belgium is unconditionally entitled to receive monthly child benefit payments until their 18th birthday – it’s the child’s place of residence that determines which Belgian region is responsible for the payment of the allowance.

Child benefits are generally paid to the parent raising the child, and in most cases, it’s the mother who receives the payments. These are paid around the 1st day of the month.

If you’re domiciled in Brussels and one parent works for a European institution, Eurocontrol or one of the European schools, your right to Belgian family allowance has priority over your right to any family allowance from that ‘European’ employer. If one parent works for the UN, NATO or SHAPE, it’s the other way round, your right to family allowance from one of these three organisations has priority over any right to Belgian family allowance.

If your child/children is/are being raised abroad, but one or both parents are employed in Belgium, you might still have the right to receive Belgian child benefits. In this case, it’s the location of the head office of the Belgian employer that determines which region is responsible for paying the allowance, and it’s the parent working in Belgium who can apply for the family benefits.

>> More about child benefit in Brussels

What amount(s) am I entitled to?

For children domiciled in Brussels, the basic amount depends on whether your child was born before or after 1 January 2020. The basic amounts, for payment as of January 2023), are:

AgeBorn after 1 January 2020 (monthly amount in euros)Born before 1 January 2020 (monthly amount in euros)
0–11 years old175.76164.04
12–17 years old187.47175.75
18–24 years old (not in higher education)187.47175.75
18–24 years old (in higher education)199.19187.47

These amounts may be supplemented with extra support for those in need. Supplementary Child Allowance can, for example, consist of an orphan’s allowance, an annual age supplement, disability allowance, etc.

All amounts and supplements can be found on the Infino website, in Dutch or French.  

How do I apply for child benefits?

Your application for child benefits is automatically submitted if:

  • you already have at least one child receiving Belgian family allowance; or
  • a birth allowance has already been paid before the birth.

If you will be moving to Brussels from outside Belgium, or have already moved, you can make the request for family allowance payments online (form available in English, French or Dutch). 

If you are moving to Brussels from within Belgium, you may need to change payment fund if your current fund does not cover Brussels.

Already affiliated with another payment fund?

You can switch! Infino will welcome you with open arms.

And by ‘you’, of course, we mean your child or children in the first place. Because that’s what motivates us every day at Infino: to help every child, whatever their background or circumstances, to grow in life and in society.

In Brussels, and depending on your situation, it’s possible to switch payment fund from 1 January 2022 onwards. If you are interested, register with Infino now (form available in English, French or Dutch) and we’ll contact you as soon as we can make the admin happen. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us!

In addition, we also want to give as much support as possible to you, the parents. With a smooth and punctual payment and other allowances, but also with our years of expertise and our life experience.

Choosing your partner for child support

At Infino, ‘Growing together’ is our motto, and we mean it. We support you financially, give you advice and always keep you informed of all the possible benefits you might be entitled to.

  • We ensure smooth and punctual payment of your child benefit and other allowances
  • We take care of all the red tape for you
  • We will keep you informed of all the benefits we can give you and your family

We are the child benefit fund with a heart for all children and all parents. All Infino employees ensure that your family benefits are paid on time, so you don’t have to worry about a thing. 

Still have questions about child benefits in Brussels?

If you still have questions about your entitlement to child benefits in Brussels, contact Infino directly on brussels@infino.be and we’ll be happy to help!