Family allowances A wide range of benefits for families
From parental leave to childcare vouchers for cross-border workers, the Children's Future Fund (Caisse pour l'avenir des enfants, CAE) is THE point of reference for financial aid for families in Luxembourg. The "Zukunftskeess" was created in 2016; the same year that the benefits system was reformed. In this report, you’ll find a summary of measures aimed at fostering a balanced family life and equal opportunities for all children!
Focus on children's future
The objective of the family allowance is to help parents to bring up their children by covering the financial costs of their upkeep and education. More specifically, these benefits help to ensure that all children have equal opportunities in the future and that parents can take advantage of a better work-life balance. The welfare of children and their parents, and the creation of equal opportunities are the primary concerns of the State.
The Zukunftskeess is currently processing approximately 200,000 case files, covering family allowance, parental leave, childcare vouchers, etc. Applications must be made directly to the public body. The procedures can also be carried out online via MyGuichet.lu, the electronic guide of the online services of the Luxembourg State, provided that you have one of the LuxTrust devices required for a secure connection.
The different types of allowances are:
- Birth grants: prenatal allowance, birth allowance ad postnatal allowance.
- Family allowance: from the month of the child’s birth until the age of 18 and beyond if the child continues their secondary or equivalent education.
- Back-to-school allowance: this allowance is paid automatically in August of each year up until the completion of secondary or equivalent education.
- In the event of adoption, parents fulfilling the relevant conditions are entitled to the same benefits, with the exception of the prenatal and birth allowances.
- For a child with a disability, a special supplementary allowance may be requested.
Did you know?
As a cross-border worker, you are also eligible to claim most of the benefits. These include family allowance, age of majority, back-to-school allowance, birth grants and the special supplementary allowance for biological and adopted children.
Quality care for every child
The 'Staark Kanner' (strong children) initiative of the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth brings together a series of measures to ensure access to quality non-formal education. The State's contribution to the cost of childcare and supervision, through the childcare service voucher, is one such measure. It is aimed at all children aged between 0 and 12 who live in Luxembourg. Children from 1 to 4 years old are entitled to 20 hours of free childcare. School children are entitled to free childcare and meals during school time. More information is available on the Ministry website.
Application for membership of the CSA scheme can be made at the municipality of residence.
Did you know?
Since 2016, non-resident workers are also eligible to apply for childcare service vouchers. They must be affiliated to the Joint Social Security Centre (Centre Commun de la sécurité sociale, CCSS) or work for a European institution. Moreover, they must receive the family allowance for the child for whom they are seeking the CSA. All the details are available here.
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