Children’s Allowance and Child Birth or Adoption Bonus –

Overview

Children’s Allowance is awarded to married couples, civil union couples, cohabiting couples, single parents, separated parents or returned migrants, having the care and custody of their children under sixteen (16) years of age and whose total annual income of relevant two (2) years prior to current year (example: Children’s Allowance 2024 – Income 2022) from employment / social security is less than twenty-seven thousand and six euro (€27,006).

However, if income exceeds twenty-thousand and eighty-two euro (€20,082) but is less than twenty-seven thousand and six euro (€27,006), the minimum children’s Allowance rate will still be awarded. This results as if actual income is used to calculate the rate, the children’s allowance due rate will be less than the minimum rate, thus minimum children’s allowance rate is awarded. This however, will not affect the children’s allowance supplement.

For information regarding cross-border situations please click here.

What you’ll get

Upon registration of the child’s birth with Malta’s Public Registry, the process for the payment of a Children’s Allowance is automatically initiated by the Department of Social Security. The beneficiaries are automatically awarded Children’s Allowance based on the minimum rate. Some cases are not paid automatically due to lack of details not provided by the applicants. In such cases these applicants will be informed by email to apply accordingly. However, beneficiaries may apply for a higher rate of payment if the declared household income is less than twenty-seven thousand and six euro (€27,006). In addition, a notification letter is sent to the parents requesting any missing details necessary for the award of a Children’s Allowance should this be the case.

The payment for this allowance is issued every thirteen (13) weeks in advance.

A once-only payment of five-hundred euro (€500) is paid to the mother of a newborn child or adoptive parent. Should the mother give birth for a second new child or more in the family, or adopt a second child or more, a once-only payment of one-thousand euro (€1000) is paid for each child (read more).

Please click here for a Schedule of Benefits Rates.

You may make use of the online Calculator to calculate the potential Children’s Allowance.

Eligibility

General eligibility criteria:

• One of the parents should be a citizen of Malta or married to a Maltese citizen or in Civil Union with a Maltese citizen, or is a citizen of a European Union Member State (Cross-Border), or a citizen of a member country of the European Social Charter, or has a refugee status and ordinarily resides in Malta or Gozo.
  In case of EU Nationals where:
  • One of the parents is legally employed in Malta and the other parent is living and is unemployed in a foreign country, then the Department of Social Security is bound to pay Children’s Allowance.
  • One of the parents is legally employed in Malta and the other parent is living and is on unpaid leave in a foreign country, then the Department of Social Security is bound to pay Children’s Allowance.
  • One of the parents is legally employed in Malta and the other parent is living and is employed in a foreign country, then that foreign country is bound to pay Children’s Allowance if the child is living with the parent in the foreign country. If the child is living with the parent being employed in Malta, then the Department of Social Security will pay the Children’s Allowance, even though the other parent is employed abroad. The parent employed in a foreign country is to produce official proof that no Children’s Allowance is being paid from the foreign country.
  • EU Nationals are awarded with effect from arrival date in Malta.

  In case of Third Country Nationals where:

  • Claimants and children are both living in Malta.
  • Both parents have valid residential permits.
  • One or both parents is/are in employment. Entitlement is according to Permit. If holding a Residence or Work permit, claimant will be entitled for Children’s Allowance with effect from the sixth (6) month of employment.
  • If claimant has a Blue Card / International Protection / Subsidiary Protection / Humanitarian Protection permit (including Temporary Permits), claimant will be entitled for Children’s Allowance from start of employment.
  • If claimant is holding a Long-Term Residence Permit, claimant is entitled from date of permit, whereas holders of Intra Corporate Transfer Permit will be entitled from the 9th month of employment.
  • Seasonal Worker Status and/or Student 3^rd country Nationals are not entitled for Children’s Allowance if not holding any other permit mentioned above.
  • Children’s Allowance is awarded from the date as indicated above if minor is born before employment date, however it is awarded from date of birth if minor is born after entitlement date explained above.
• Children’s Allowance may be awarded to claimants working on board Maltese Registered Vessels, under the same working conditions that apply to EU nationals. Such cases are to apply every year for Children’s Allowance.
• In the case of every child born, it is the duty of the father and the mother, and in default of both, of the physician, surgeon, midwife, or any other person in attendance at the birth, or in whose house the birth has taken place, to give, within fifteen (15) days of such birth, notice thereof to the Public Registry. The person transmitting such notice, is to present his / her Identity Card, and any documentation provided to him / her by the hospital.
• The applicants are bound to notify the Department of Social Security (not later than six (6) months from occurrence) of any changes in circumstances such as death, separation, marriage/co-habitation, change in custody, change of address, change in Bank Account number, departure from Malta or termination / start of employment.
• Following the initial award of Children’s Allowance, a yearly review is carried out by the Department of Social Security based on information received through the Commissioner for Revenue and Financial Institutions. The Children’s Allowance rate is based on the household income 2 years prior to the claim and / or revision of claim.

Documentation Required

General documentation:

If applying as a couple, a separate declaration with signatures of both parents is required. Click here to download this document.

Maltese Nationals / EU Nationals / European Social Charter / Refugees (Minor/s born in Malta).

• Date of Cohabitation / Marriage / Civil Union.
• Income of both parents of relevant year (two (2) years prior to current year (example: Children’s Allowance 2024 – Income 2022) from full-time and part-time employment, rent and pension from abroad. Where there is no income the amount of zero must be entered and in the case of foreigners they must provide the necessary information including any income from abroad. Where there is no income, the amount of zero must be entered. Failure to provide any foreign income of the previous two (2) years from the current year, the fixed rate of benefit will apply.
• Updated JobsPlus history sheet.
• Care and custody document (including with whom minor/s is/are living and amount of maintenance, signed by both parents).
• Copies of Identity Cards of parent/s or adoptive parent/s.
• Declaration or affidavit (in case one of the parents refuses to sign for care and custody) stating with whom minor/s is / are living and from which date.
• Separation contract / court decree (depending on case) in case of single parents.
• IBAN number for deposit of the benefit entitlement which should be a local savings or current account, but not a loan account. The indicated account should be in the name of the mother of the child/children unless the child/children are in the care and custody of the father or another relative (such as the grandparents). If there is joint custody, their individual IBAN numbers are to be presented.

EU Nationals / European Social Charter (Minor/s NOT born in Malta).

• Copy of parent/s’ Identity Card.
• Copy of boarding passes / tickets / passports of all family members.
• Copy of birth certificate of minor/s.
• Date of Cohabitation / Marriage Certificate / Civil Union Certificate.
• Official declaration from the respective country indicating up to which date child benefit was received.
• Copy of official documents showing income earned in the last two (2) years locally and abroad (tax returns / signed FS3s / Profit and Loss. Where there is no income, the amount of zero must be entered. Failure to provide any foreign income of the previous two (2) years from the current year, the fixed rate of benefit will apply.
• IBAN number for deposit of the benefit entitlement which should be a local savings or current account, but not a loan account. The indicated account should be in the name of the mother of the child/children unless the child/children are in the care and custody of the father or another relative (such as the grandparents). If there is joint custody, their individual IBAN numbers are to be presented.

Third Country Nationals and any other national ((Minor/s born in Malta).

• Copy of parent/s’ Identity Card.
• Copy of residence permits.
• Date of Cohabitation / Marriage certificate / Civil Union certificate.
• Income of both parents from Malta and/or abroad. Where there is no income, the amount of zero must be entered. Failure to provide any foreign income of the previous two (2) years from the current year, the fixed rate of benefit will apply.
• IBAN number for deposit of the benefit entitlement which should be a local savings or current account, but not a loan account. The indicated account should be in the name of the mother of the child/children unless the child/children are in the care and custody of the father or another relative (such as the grandparents). If there is joint custody, their individual IBAN numbers are to be presented.

Third Country Nationals and any other national ((Minor/s NOT born in Malta thus not registered in Malta).

• Copy of parent/s’ Identity Card.
• Copy of residence permits.
• Copy of boarding passes / tickets / passports of all family members.
• Copy of birth certificate of minor/s.
• Date of Cohabitation / Marriage Certificate / Civil Union Certificate.
• Official declaration from the respective country indicating up to which date child benefit was received.
• Copy of official documents showing income earned in the last two (2) years locally and abroad (tax returns / signed FS3s / Profit and Loss. Where there is no income, the amount of zero must be entered. Failure to provide any foreign income of the previous two (2) years from the current year, the fixed rate of benefit will apply.
• Updated JobsPlus history sheet and / or document showing that applicant is employed in Malta.
• Letter from school confirming regular school attendance of minor/s (in particular cases).
• Declaration or affidavit (in case one of the parents refuses to sign care and custody) stating with whom minor/s is / are living and from which date.
• Separation contract / court decree (depending on case) in case of single parents.
• IBAN number for deposit of the benefit entitlement which should be a local savings or current account, but not a loan account. The indicated account should be in the name of the mother of the child/children unless the child/children are in the care and custody of the father or another relative (such as the grandparents). If there is joint custody, their individual IBAN numbers are to be presented.

How to apply

Upon registration of the child’s birth or adoption of a minor with Malta’s Public Registry, the process for the payment of Children’s Allowance is automatically initiated by the Department of Social Security in line with the eligibility criteria.

Nevertheless, there may be instances when an application cannot be automatically processed upon registration of minor with the Public Registry when:

• The parents do not have the same address.
• A parent is single, in which case the care and custody documents must be submitted with the application.
• The child was not born in Malta.
• Foreign parents.

Thus, if the Children’s Allowance payment is not received within four (4) months from date of birth, one must submit an application within six (6) months from date of birth of minor as stipulated by the Social Security Act (Cap. 318.). The Children’s Allowance, or part of it, may be forfeited if the application is submitted late.

Fill in and submit the application online.