Child benefit - When your child turns 16

There are different rules for receiving child benefit for children aged 16 and 17 than for younger children. You can only get child benefit for a child aged 16 or 17 if he or she:

• does not earn more than € 1,266 net per quarter with a job, and
• attends full-time education aimed at obtaining a basic qualification ('startkwalificatie'), or
• is exempt from obtaining a basic qualification, or
• continues to attend full-time education after obtaining a basic qualification, or
• is unemployed, after having obtained a basic qualification, or
• is unable to attend education due to illness or a handicap, after having obtained a basic qualification.

If your child is unemployed

If your child is unemployed, you can continue to get child benefit if he or she:

• has a basic qualification ('startkwalificatie') and
• is registered as a jobseeker with UWV WERKbedrijf.

If your child lives outside the Netherlands, you can get child benefit if he or she is registered with an employment agency or another official agency that helps him or her look for work.

Student grant? Your child benefit will stop.

If your child starts attending higher vocational education or university, he or she can apply to DUO (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs) for a student grant (WSF). If your child is entitled to a student grant, your child benefit will stop. If your child is not entitled to a student grant, you may be able to continue receiving child benefit.

Your child is allowed to earn up to a certain amount

If your child has a job and earns less than € 1,266 net per quarter, you will continue to receive child benefit. If your child earns more, your child benefit will stop. If you have a child who lives away from home and you get child benefit at twice the basic rate for this child, the maximum allowed earnings are lower.