Child benefit by country
Last reviewed: 7 November 2026
Child benefit compared across countries: Amount of child benefit, age limit for the child, residence condition, income test, where to claim. Pick a country for the full list of rules, each with its official source.
| Country | Amount of child benefit | Age limit for the child | Residence condition | Income test | Where to claim |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | EUR 259 per month per child | To 18; to 21 or 25 in some cases | Home or habitual residence in Germany | ⚠ Not yet verified | Familienkasse |
| Netherlands | EUR 298.40-426.29 per quarter (from Q3 2026) | Under 18 | Insured: lives or works in NL | ⚠ Not yet verified | SVB (Sociale Verzekeringsbank) |
| United Kingdom | GBP 27.05/week eldest, 17.90 other | Under 16 (under 20 in education) | Responsible for the child and live in UK | Charge above GBP 60,000 income | HMRC (Child Benefit Office), online |
| France | From €38 to €152 a month (2 children, 2026) | Child under 20 | Live in France 9+ months a year | Yes: three income bands | Caf (or MSA) |
| Spain | €100/70/50 a month by age | Under 18 | Legal residence in Spain for 1 year | Yes: income and assets tested | INSS (Social Security) |
| Italy | €175 down to €50 a month (base, by ISEE) | Under 18; to 21 in study; none if disabled | Resident in Italy, tax payer, eligible status | Yes: ISEE-based, minimum without ISEE | INPS (online or patronato) |
| United States | Tax credit up to $2,200 per child | Under 17 at end of tax year | Child must be citizen, national or resident alien | Full credit up to $200,000 ($400,000 joint) | Claim on Form 1040 (IRS) |
| Ireland | EUR 140/month per child | Under 16 (to 18 in education) | Live in Ireland, habitual residence | No, universal | Department of Social Protection |
| Poland | PLN 800 per month per child | To the 18th birthday | ⚠ Not yet verified | No income test | ZUS (online application) |
| Sweden | SEK 1,250 per month per child | Under 16 (older if in compulsory school) | Child and parent insured in Sweden | ⚠ Not yet verified | Försäkringskassan (automatic) |
| Austria | ⚠ Not yet verified | To 24 (25 in some cases) | Parents' centre of life and child in Austria | No parental income test | Finanzamt Österreich |
| Greece | €28 to €140 a child a month, by income | ⚠ Not yet verified | Legal residence 5 or 12 years | Yes: three income bands | OPEKA (online A21 application) |
| Switzerland | Min. CHF 215 (to 16), CHF 268 (training) | To 16; training to 25 | Work income or residence in Switzerland | Only for non-working people (CHF 45,360) | Employer or family compensation fund |
| Denmark | ⚠ Not yet verified | Under 15 child, 15-17 youth benefit | Taxable in DK, child in DK, 6 of 10 years | Reduced by 2% above DKK 700,000 (2010 level) | Udbetaling Danmark |
| Finland | EUR 94.88/month first child | Under 17 | Live permanently in Finland with child | ⚠ Not yet verified | Kela, on application |
| Norway | NOK 2,012/month per child | Under 18 | Live in Norway, 12+ months | ⚠ Not yet verified | Nav, usually automatic |
| New Zealand | FTC up to $7,921 a year, eldest child | Child 18 or under, in care and dependent | Resident (parent or child); child lives with you | Yes, FTC reduced above $44,900 family income | Inland Revenue (myIR) |
| Japan | 15,000 yen under 3; 10,000 yen older (per month) | Until 31 March after 18th birthday | Child normally lives in Japan | ⚠ Not yet verified | Home municipality (public servants: employer) |
General information, not legal advice. Rules change: check the official source before you fly or ride.