News item | 14-07-2022 | 9:00 am
With an amendment to the General Child Benefit Act (AKW), the cabinet wants to simplify the provision of double child benefit. Research shows that applying is complicated for some parents. This leads to non-use, which the government wants to prevent. In the coalition agreement, the government also expressed its ambition to simplify government regulations.
Would you like to contribute ideas about the bill? Then you can use the until September 8, 2022 consultation Bill on simplified acquisition of double child benefit fill.
Double child benefit for children requiring intensive care
Parents of children with intensive care needs are entitled to double child benefit. They provide extra care to their child and also incur more costs. The double child benefit supports parents in this. With the proposed amendment to the law, parents of children with an indication for long-term care (Wlz indication) will automatically receive double child benefit. A Wlz indication indicates intensive care for a child and thus the right to double child benefit. The intended effective date is January 1, 2024.
Double child benefit with retroactive effect
The proposed amendment to the law also makes it possible to grant double child benefit with retroactive effect for six months. For example, the situation of parents is taken into account – and the fact that applying for double child benefit is not the first thing that parents of children with intensive care needs think of – and it limits that they miss out on money.
No additional budget for legislative change
There is no additional budget for this amendment to the law. As a result, more people will have to be helped with the same resources in the future. To finance this, the cabinet is reducing the amount that parents can receive in addition to the double child benefit, the AKW+. This means that parents who currently receive the AKW+ will receive a lower amount after the amendment of the law.