In Germany there are several kinds of social benefits for families. The team of International office will assist you with all formalities and application for any of them. The most important are:

1. Child allowance (Kindergeld)

Child allowance is usually paid when the applicant is resident in Germany and pays taxes. Additionally, the child, for whom the child allowance is received, must be normally resident in Germany or another EU state. Applications must be made in writing to the local family office (“Familienkasse”). Child allowance amounts to €250 per child since January 2023.

2. Parental allowance (Elterngeld)

This is not a permanent social benefit but it is limited to the first 12 to 14 months after the child’s birth. Both parents are entitled to take time off from their jobs and receive parental allowance. It amounts to 65% of the applying parent’s net income, averaged over 12 months before the child’s birth. The minimum amount issued is 300 € (even for unemployed parents); the maximum – 1800€. Allowance is granted under the following conditions:

- Germany is the habitual place of residence;
- you are allowed to work in Germany;
- parent and child live together;
- parent cares for child personally;
- parent does not work more than 30 hours per week during the time Parental allowance is issued.

Both parents are allowed to apply for Parental allowance. You and your partner can choose how to share the time allowed for parental leave. You can find more detailed information about the “Parental allowance Plus” under the following link:

3. Maternity allowance (Mutterschaftsgeld)

This is financial support provided for pregnant women, 6 weeks prior and 8 weeks after the delivery. You are entitled to it in case you are employed and have compulsory insurance. The amount depends on your salary as it is based on the average net amount of your average net income of the last 3 months. The maximum daily payment by the statutory health insurance companies is 13€. If the net amount of salary is higher, then the employer has to pay the difference.

4. Childcare voucher (Kitagutschein)

In Hamburg you can get the so called daycare voucher, which entitles children to 5 hours of free care in a daycare facility per day. Depending on your family’s economic/working situation you can get subsidies for additional hours per day. Please note that if you are registered in Schleswig-Holstein (Schenefeld, Pinneberg) different rules and procedures apply.