Benefits for children and parents
Child benefit is generally available for all children up to the age of 18, for unemployed children up to the age of 21 and for children in education up to the age of 25.
In 2023, Parents receive 250 euros per month and per child.
The child benefit is paid to the person who takes care of the child. If the child lives with both parents, they can decide which of them is to receive child benefit.
Child benefit must be applied for at the responsible "Familienkasse" (e.g. the Familienkasse Kassel).
Important: When calculating BAföG or housing benefit, the child benefit is not counted as income. The situation is different when it comes to unemployment benefit or social benefit - here child benefit is regarded as income.
More information at www.familienkasse.de
Child Supplement
Parents (including students) are entitled to a child supplement for their unmarried children under the age of 25 living in their household if the income to be taken into account does not exceed the so-called maximum income limit. The minimum income limit is a gross income of 900 euros for couples and 600 euros for single parents.
The maximum possible child supplement is 250 euros per child. The parents must submit the application to the local "Familienkasse".
More information at www.familienkasse.de
Elterngeld (Parental Allowance)
The parental allowance replaces at least 65 percent of the net earned income lost after the birth of the child up to a maximum of 1800 euros and also amounts to at least 300 euros for non-working parents.
Parental allowance is only paid to those who do not work more than 32 hours a week. Parents are entitled to a total of twelve months' parental allowance. Parental allowance is paid for twelve months in the core period. In addition, there is the possibility to apply for a partnership bonus.
The "minimum parent allowance" of 300 euros is counted as income for "Bürgergeld", social assistance and child allowance.
Those who receive "Bürgergeld", social assistance or child supplement and were gainfully employed before the birth of their child receive a parental allowance. The parental allowance corresponds to the income before the birth, but not more than 300 euros. This means that up to the amount of 300 euros, the parental allowance remains exempt from imputation for the above benefits.
In the case of other social benefits, e.g. housing benefit and BAföG, the parental allowance is exempt from crediting up to a minimum amount of 300 euros, irrespective of whether the beneficiaries were gainfully employed before the birth.
Families with more than one child can receive a sibling bonus. This amounts to 10 percent of the parental allowance due, but at least 75 euros per month. The sibling bonus is payable if a total of two children under the age of 3, or a total of three children under the age of 6, live in the household of the entitled person.
The parental allowance can also be extended to double the period (up to 28 months) for the same total budget. Then half the monthly contributions are paid.
You must apply for parental benefit in writing and as soon as possible after the birth of your child, because parental benefit is paid retroactively for a maximum of three months.
For the application you need:
- the birth certificate of your child
- Evidence of earned income before birth
- Confirmation of working time by the employer in the case of part-time work in the reference period or declaration of working time in the case of self-employment.
- Certificate of maternity pay issued by the sickness insurance fund
- Certificate of the employer's contribution to maternity benefit
See also:
- Information on Elterngeld (Parental Allowance)
- Elterngeld-Rechner (Calculator for Parental Allowance)
Parents with primary residence in the city of Kassel and in the district of Kassel submit their application for parental allowance:
Hessisches Amt für Versorgung und Soziales (Hessian Office for Supply and Social Affairs)
