Family allowance (“családi pótlék”) is one of the best-known child benefits in Hungary. This benefit is a general financial support provided by the state to all families bringing up children. In this article we have summarized who is eligible for family allowance, how this benefit can be requested and what financial support this means to the families in Hungary.
Eligibility for family allowance
Families are eligible for family allowance from the birth of the child as long as the child lives in the same household and attends school (up till age 20). It is mandatory for children to attend school up to age 16, therefore the earliest when they can leave school is this age. Please note that special regulations apply to children with disabilities, not included in this short summary.
Eligible persons include
- the parents (either by birth or adoption), foster parents, or guardians of children;
- the spouse or the partner (with registered relationship for more than a year) of the above;
- the managers of certain childcare and social care homes;
- the children themselves, in certain cases, etc.
who are either Hungarian citizens, immigrants in Hungary, have obtained permanent residency, or are recognized as refugees in Hungary. For the sake of simplicity, below we will refer to eligible persons as “Parents”.
Non-Hungarian parents must also meet the below requirements:
- EEA citizens (EU, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, Switzerland) need to have a registered address in Hungary;
- non-EEA citizens need to have a single permit (“összevont engedély”): work-permit for at least 6 months, or a work-permit valid for the purpose of intra-corporate transfer for at least 9 months;
- entitled children must be living in the same household in Hungary as the parent;
- entitled children must be either under the age of 3, or, if they are between the age of 3 and 16, they must attend kindergarten or school in Hungary.
- parents can receive family allowance in only one EU country at the same time. That is, if they are eligible both in Hungary and in another country, they must decide and declare where they want to apply for it and let the authorities know.
Those eligible for family allowance may also be eligible for the family tax benefit if certain conditions are met. You may read more about this here.
Not eligible but dependent children
If you have children who have already finished high school (their secondary level education), you should still report them to the authorities as dependent children if
- now they are attending higher education
- AND have not yet received a degree there or anywhere else
- AND do not regularly (in 3 successive months) receive salary that is higher than the current minimum salary
Even if you may not receive family allowance for these children, your younger children’s allowance may be raised based on the number of dependent children you have in your household.
Request procedure for the family allowance
Parents can request the family allowance at their Employer (if the company has a special social security payer entity) or at the family support department of their county (where they have an address) by submitting a request form.
Find the relevant family support departments here:
If you have an address in Budapest, you should go here:
- Budapest Főváros Kormányhivatala, Családtámogatási Főosztály
1139 Budapest, Váci út 71
The family allowance can be requested from the date when the request form is submitted or max. 2 months retroactively.
Request forms and detailed description (in Hungarian) are to be found here:
The monthly amount of the family allowance in 2019 is
- for one eligible child: HUF 12,200
- for two eligible children: HUF 13,300 / child
- for three or more eligible children: HUF 16,000 / child
Monthly family allowance is a bit higher if someone raises their children as a single parent, or if the children have disabilities or chronic diseases.
Please note: any changes to your or your children’s situation should be reported to the authority as soon as possible to always receive the family allowance adequate for it. Read more about this in our upcoming article (to be linked here soon). Until then, feel free to ask your payroll specialist, as they will be able to tell you more.
Disclaimer: The data in this article reflect the state of affairs upon publication. To get up-to-date information, always consult your accountant.
Published: 14 October, 2019
