Child benefits in Belgium 2026 — the complete guide by region
Since regionalisation, the amount of your child benefits depends on where your child lives. We explain how much you receive, who manages what and how to apply — region by region, with the 2026 reference figures.
Child benefits are no longer federal: they are managed by Flanders, Wallonia and the Brussels Region, each with its own amounts and rules. It's the region where the child is domiciled that determines the applicable scheme.
Why everything depends on your region
Until the sixth state reform, child benefits were identical everywhere in Belgium and managed at federal level. That's no longer the case. The competence has been regionalised: Flanders switched to its own system (the Groeipakket) for children born from 2019, Wallonia and Brussels followed with their own schemes for births from 2020.
Concretely, this means three things for you:
For the detail specific to each region, we also have dedicated guides: Brussels, Wallonia and Flanders.
The comparison of the 3 regions (2026 amounts)
Here are the 2026 reference figures for a child under the new regional scheme. These are base amounts: they can be topped up with supplements (age, social situation, etc., see below).
| Region | Base amount / month (per child) | Birth grant (1st child) |
|---|---|---|
| 🌊 Flanders Groeipakket |
€184.62 | €1,269.25 |
| 🌻 Wallonia FAMIWAL |
≈ €167.68 | €1,214.94 |
| 🏛️ Brussels Famiris / Iriscare |
≈ €174.08 | €1,395.02 |
⚠️ Indicative 2026 amounts — check the exact amount with your child benefit fund.
Note: in Wallonia and Brussels the birth grant is lower for subsequent children (around €605.22 in Wallonia and €634.10 in Brussels from the 2nd child). In Brussels, amounts were indexed by 2% in March 2026. For the detail of the grant, see also our guide birth grant in Belgium.
How it works in practice
The principle is the same across the three regions; only the amounts and the body change.
The types of supplements
Beyond the base amount, your child may open the right to supplements. They exist in all three regions but with different scales and conditions — here are the main families, presented qualitatively.
⚠️ Indicative 2026 amounts — check the exact amount with your child benefit fund.
Who manages what in each region
Iriscare regulates the Brussels system; Famiris is the public fund. Other accredited private funds also operate in Brussels.
FAMIWAL is the Walloon public fund, alongside accredited private funds. It's the AViQ that supervises at regional level.
The system is called the Groeipakket, steered by the agency Opgroeien. Several funds (uitbetalers) pay out the amounts.
Changing child benefit fund
You're not married to your fund. As the base amounts are set by the region (not by the fund), changing doesn't alter what you receive — but it can change the service quality, responsiveness or ancillary benefits. General rule: you can change fund once a year, simply by submitting a request to the new fund, which handles the transfer of the file.
Before changing, mainly check the customer service and processing times, not the amount: it's identical from one fund to another within the same region.
Special cases
Moving between regions
If you move from one region to another, it's the child's new residence that determines the applicable scheme. The switch happens along the way: notify your fund and the file moves to the new region's scheme. As the amounts differ, your benefits may slightly increase or decrease.
Young adult in studies
Benefits don't stop dead at 18. A young person continuing studies can keep opening the right, under conditions (notably a sufficient volume of hours/credits and a possible income ceiling if they work on the side). The precise rules differ by region — typically a question to ask your fund.
Self-employed parent
Good news: since the reform, the right to child benefits is universal. Whether you're an employee, civil servant, self-employed, jobseeker or without activity, your child opens the same base right. The parent's professional status no longer counts for the base amount. If you're starting an activity, see also our dossier employee or self-employed.
FAQ
Which region determines my child benefits?
The one where the child is domiciled. Neither the parents' workplace nor their professional status counts for the base amount.
Do you get more in one region than another?
The base amounts differ slightly: indicatively for 2026, around €184.62 in Flanders, €174.08 in Brussels and €167.68 in Wallonia per child per month. Supplements can change the final total significantly. Always check with your fund.
When to apply for the birth grant?
Often as early as the pregnancy: most funds allow you to submit the grant application before the delivery, for fast payment around the birth.
Do you need to reapply when you move?
You don't submit a new file from scratch, but notify your fund: the file moves to the scheme of your new address's region.
Does a self-employed parent get less?
No. The right is universal since the reform: the parent's status doesn't influence the base amount.