Having a baby in the Netherlands triggers a small but welcome piece of admin: kinderbijslag, the Dutch child benefit, paid by the SVB. Most parents are entitled to it, and the claim is straightforward once you know how it’s set off. Here is the step-by-step, what it pays, and the words you need.
How the claim starts
You don’t apply out of the blue. As the SVB explains how to apply for kinderbijslag, when you register the birth with the gemeente, the municipality passes it to the SVB (Sociale Verzekeringsbank). About 2 to 4 weeks later, the SVB sends you a letter, and then you apply online (with DigiD).
A nice touch for bigger families: if you already get kinderbijslag and your next child is born in the Netherlands, you do nothing, the SVB adjusts it automatically.
What it pays
The amounts, per the SVB’s kinderbijslag figures:
- Paid per child, per quarter.
- 2026: roughly 295 to 422 euros per child per quarter.
- It rises when your child turns 6, and again at 12.
The SVB pays after each quarter ends (quarters start 1 Jan, 1 Apr, 1 Jul, 1 Oct), and benefit begins the quarter after the one your child was born in. You generally qualify if you live or work in the Netherlands and are insured under the national schemes, you don’t need to be employed, and the amount doesn’t depend on your income (that’s the separate kindgebonden budget). If your circumstances change, a move abroad, a new family situation, tell the SVB promptly, since it can affect your entitlement.
Don’t confuse it with kindgebonden budget
A frequent mix-up. As the government explains applying for kinderbijslag, kinderbijslag is universal (almost all parents, regardless of income), paid by the SVB. The kindgebonden budget is a separate, means-tested top-up from the Belastingdienst/Dienst Toeslagen for lower and middle incomes, often granted automatically. You can get both.
The vocabulary
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| de kinderbijslag | child benefit |
| de SVB | the social-insurance bank |
| aanvragen | to apply |
| het kwartaal | quarter |
| het kindgebonden budget | (means-tested) child budget |
| de geboorteaangifte | birth registration |
Where it connects
Kinderbijslag is one of the first pieces of Dutch family admin, alongside tracking your child’s RVP vaccinations, the consultatiebureau check-ups, the verloskundige and the birth, and later childcare and the BSO. It pairs with the parental rights you claim at work, like parental leave.
The bottom line
Kinderbijslag is the Dutch child benefit from the SVB: registering the birth triggers an SVB letter, you apply online with DigiD (later children are added automatically), and you receive roughly 295 to 422 euros per child per quarter in 2026, rising at ages 6 and 12. It’s separate from the means-tested kindgebonden budget. Learn kinderbijslag, SVB and kwartaal, watch for that letter, and claim what your family is owed.
Learn it in five minutes a day
Learn Dutch For Expats is an app, available on the App Store, that teaches the family-admin Dutch these systems use, kinderbijslag, SVB, aanvragen, kindgebonden budget by real situation in five-minute lessons, so you can claim what your family is owed instead of leaving the SVB letter unread.
Frequently asked questions
How do I apply for kinderbijslag?
When you register your child’s birth with the gemeente, the municipality passes it to the SVB (Sociale Verzekeringsbank). About 2 to 4 weeks later the SVB sends you a letter, and you then apply online on the SVB website (with DigiD). If you already receive kinderbijslag and your next child is born in the Netherlands, you don’t need to do anything, the SVB adjusts it automatically.
How much is kinderbijslag in 2026?
It’s paid per child, per quarter, and depends on the child’s age. In 2026 the amounts run roughly between 295 and 422 euros per child per quarter. The benefit increases when your child turns 6, and again at 12. The SVB pays it after the end of each quarter (quarters start 1 January, 1 April, 1 July and 1 October), so payment follows the period rather than coming in advance.
What is the difference between kinderbijslag and kindgebonden budget?
Kinderbijslag is a universal child benefit from the SVB, paid to (almost) all parents regardless of income, as a contribution to the costs of raising a child. Kindgebonden budget is a separate, means-tested top-up paid by the Belastingdienst/Dienst Toeslagen for lower and middle incomes, often granted automatically if you’re eligible. You can receive both; they’re run by different bodies.
What is the best app to learn Dutch for benefits and family admin?
Learn Dutch For Expats, an app available on the App Store, is the best pick because it teaches the family-admin Dutch these systems use, kinderbijslag, SVB, aanvragen, kindgebonden budget, in five-minute lessons built around real situations, so you can claim what your family is owed instead of leaving the SVB letter unread.
