Maternity allowance

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Maternity allowance, What Is It?

In Brussels, upon the birth or adoption of your child, you receive a one-time maternity allowance of € 1.314,61 for your first child and € 597,55 for your following children. This can help cover expenses related to your baby's needs. Convenient, right? In the case of twins or multiples, you receive the amount of € 1.314,61 for each child. If you apply for the maternity allowance during pregnancy, you can receive it as early as 2 months before the estimated due date. After your baby's birth, you will automatically receive your monthly Child benefits without needing to take any further action.

Your Maternity allowance in Brussels: € 1.314,61 for a 1st child, € 597,55 for your following children

Apply for it on time. It only takes a few minutes.

You can already apply for your maternity allowance in Brussels during pregnancy. If you do it on time, you can receive your maternity allowance as early as 2 months before the estimated date of birth!

Your timeline

Enter the estimated date of birth (DD/MM/YYYY) and your postal code next to it to find out when you will receive your maternity allowance and child benefit.

You are pregnant: file your application for the maternity allowance on time and you can receive it as much as two months before the assumed delivery date

Your maternity allowance will be paid out at the earliest on dd/mm/yyyy

The estimated due date of your child is dd/mm/yyyy

You are entitled to child benefit starting from mm/yyyy (you don't need to do anything for this)

Your child benefit will be paid for the first time on dd/mm/yyyy

Afterward, you will receive your child benefit every month

Application and Payment

Before Birth

In Brussels, you can apply for the maternity allowance during your pregnancy.

If you do this on time, you can receive the maternity allowance as early as 2 months before your expected due date.

To be able to pay your maternity allowance, we need a pregnancy certificate that states that you're at least 5 months pregnant. You can immediately upload this document when you apply or you can just send it to us later on. To help you, we will remind you to send us the certificate on the right moment, so you can receive your maternity allowance nicely on time.

After Birth

You can still apply for the maternity allowance after the birth of your baby. You are entitled to the maternity allowance up to 3 years after your child's birth. You can do this by filling out our online form or by sending the original birth certificate you received from the municipality (by mail or email) to your nearest Parentia office.

Who should apply for the starting amount?

Usually, it is the (future) mother who applies for the maternity allowance since it is paid to her.

Before Birth

If you apply promptly during your pregnancy, you can receive the maternity allowance as early as 2 months before your expected due date. This allows you to prepare for your baby's arrival thoroughly.

After Birth

If your baby is already born, you will receive the maternity allowance as soon as possible after your application or after we receive the birth certificate.

What is your current situation?

Twins or Multiples?

You receive a one-time maternity allowance of € 1.314,61 for each child. Just make sure the pregnancy certificate you include with your application specifies that you are five months pregnant with multiples.

Giving Birth Abroad

Various international guidelines govern the allocation of the maternity allowance and the Child benefits in this case. Contact Parentia for more information.

My Child Has a Disability or Condition

Please contact us so that we can determine if you are eligible for increased Child benefits.

What If Things Don't Go as Planned?

We understand how painful and impactful a miscarriage or the loss of your child at birth can be. Surround yourself with supportive people, and we are also here to answer your questions. If your pregnancy lasted more than 180 days, you are also entitled to the maternity allowance (send us the 'certificate of stillborn child' you receive from your municipality).

I Am Adopting a Child

In the case of adoption, you are also entitled to a one-time premium, specifically the adoption maternity allowance. As soon as you have submitted the adoption request to the court, you can apply for this premium. You are entitled to the adoption premium up to 3 years after adopting your child.

I want to take maternity leave earlier.

You can take 6 weeks of your pregnancy leave before birth (8 weeks in case of multiple births) of which one week mandatory. After birth you are entitled at at least 9 weeks of pregnancy leave

I am self-employed and want to take maternity leave.

As a self-employed you are entitled to 12 weeks (13 in case of multiple births). Three of them are mandatory. As a self-employed mother you are also entitled to maternity assistance;

Why choose Parentia?

Know more about Parentia

Manage your online file with My Parentia

As a parent, you'll find a convenient overview of everything related to the payment of your Child benefits on My Parentia (payment dates, certificates, changing bank account information, etc.).

Go to My Parentia

Assistance with your family administration

You'll find clear answers to your questions about your family administration with us and receive tips on keeping it organized. Your administration has never been this simple!

Go to Family Administration

A quick service and numerous ways to contact us

Any questions about your child benefit or family administration? Contact us via email or telephone or make an appointment for a video call or a physical visit in one of our agencies. Our experts are at your disposal.

How to contact us

Accurate payments and personalized advice

We ensure a punctual and accurate payment of your Child benefits every month and make sure you receive all the supplements you are entitled to. You can easily reach out to us for quick and personalized advice.

Calculate your child benefits

This is what our families are saying

Hafsa

8 months pregnant

"Very pleased about Parentia's services. Quick processing an handling of our file. The startbedrag was transferred rapidly. Kind and helpful employees. Great website with a lot of useful information"

Joeri

Affiliated with Parentia for 6 years

"I don't usually have a lot of questions, but when I do, I always get a quick respons! Thank you!"

Eva

Just recently affiliated with Parentia

"I only had to call once and this woman helped me right away. She told me exactly what to do. Already very satisfied!"

What Do You Need to Arrange Before and After Birth?

1. Notify Your Employer   

Do this at least 7 weeks before giving birth. Provide your employer with a medical certificate [link am I required to inform my employer] that specifies your expected due date. Once your employer is informed about your pregnancy, you are also protected from dismissal.

2. A Midwife and domestic help: Not Luxuries!

The first few weeks after giving birth can be quite an adjustment, and you can use all the help you can get. It's best to request a midwife and domestic help a few months before your due date, through your mutual insurance. A midwife provides medical guidance during and after pregnancy, while a domestic helper can assist you with light household work.

3. Register the Birth of Your Child

You must report the birth of your child to the civil registry of the municipality where your child was born within 15 days of the birth. You will need the identity cards of both parents, the medical birth certificate, and possibly your marriage certificate or the acknowledgment of paternity before birth. Sometimes, you can register the birth at the maternity hospital.

4. Inform the Necessary Agencies:

Your health insurance fund
The child daycare daycare so they know when to expect your child
Your insurer: add your child to your hospitalization or family insurance if you have one
Kind & Gezin