Child Benefits

Kinderbijslag (Child benefit)

The Dutch social security system pays an allowance to help pay for the cost of child raising. You are eligible for this allowance if you are participating in the Dutch social security. (To find out if you do, contact the SVB.) To receive it, you must first make an application. The forms are available in English from your post office. You can also request one from the Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB). When you apply, the SVB will ask you to send a list of vaccinations for every child living with you, so that they can send you a reminder whenever another one is due.

Go to the SVB website for more information and an online application form. To apply online you will need a DigiD.

Kinderopvangtoeslag (Childcare allowance)

The Dutch social security system pays an allowance to help low and middle income parents of young children (until the age of 12) to pay for the cost of childcare facilities. Almost every working parent in the Netherlands is eligible to receive financial support from the Dutch Government to help with the cost of childcare.

The amount of childcare allowance you will receive depends on a number of factors:

• the number of children you have,
• the number of hours they are going to childcare facilities,
• the hourly rate of these facilities and
• your income.

Example: If your accumulated income is around 60.000 euros a year, your child goes to daycare for 5 days a week 9 hours a day. Which costs 6 euros an hour. You will have to pay around €1170 a month for daycare. Your childcare allowance will probably be around €800 a month. So you are left only with 1170-800=€ 370 a month net. 

Criteria for eligibility
You are eligible for applying for a childcare allowance when
1. you have an employment contract,
2. you have received a residence permit, if you need a residence permit to stay in the Netherlands legally.

If you are an EU citizen you do not need to have an IND-registration sticker, however it will make the handling of your application a lot easier. Click here to read more on how an IND-registration helps EU-citizens with applying for an allowance.

Application
To receive childcare allowance, you must apply for it with the Tax Office (Belastingdienst). You can do this online, however the online application form is only available in Dutch. You can also fill out a paper application form (also only in Dutch). Your childcare facility is likely to be helpful with filling out this form.

To order a paper application form call the Belastingtelefoon (Taxline) 0800-0543. A menu will ask you in Dutch to make a few choices. Per question choose 1 - 1 - 4. This should get you to a person who can send you a paper form. It is useful to have your BSN-number at hand. 

Archive your papers
It is very important to keep a good administration of your childcare costs. Keep the contracts, the monthly cost overview, a copy of your application form and any other correspondence with the tax office on this issue filed away.