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Child Birth and Adoption Bonus (DSS)

A Child Birth and Adoption Bonus introduced as from the 1^st January 2020, is awarded to the mother of a newborn child or the adoptive parent of a newborn child, where the mother / adoptive parent is either Maltese, from a European Union Country or married / cohabitating with a Maltese / European National.

However, since this Bonus payment is per Child, whenever there are multiple births or multiple adoptions, this payment shall be eligible per child.
Children in Care Allowance - Foster Care Service (DSS)

A Children in Care Allowance - Foster Care Service is awarded to authorised foster carers providing a foster care service to a child.

Moreover, this allowance is paid until a child reaches twenty-one (21) years of age.

For information regarding cross-border situations please click here.
Children in Care Allowance - Residential Service (DSS)

A Children in Care Allowance – Residential Service is paid to Residential Homes that provide residential service to children.

Moreover, this allowance is paid until a child reaches twenty-one (21) years of age
Children in Care Allowance: Foster Care Service - Tapering of Benefit (DSS)

A Children in Care Allowance - Tapering of Benefit is awarded to authorised foster carer/s, who after providing a foster care service to a child, decide to move on to adopt this same child. The fostering allowance will be gradually stopped over a period of four (4) years, or until the child reaches twenty-one (21) years of age, whichever comes first.

For information regarding cross-border situations please click here.
Children’s Allowance - Child between 16 and 21 years of age (DSS)

Benefit is paid to married, civil union, and cohabitating couples (whether in registered cohabitation or not), single, separated, or parents with refugee status who have care and custody of children aged between sixteen (16) to twenty-one (21) years.
When children turn sixteen (16) years and are in full-time education, not receiving a stipend, or registering for work for the first time, their parents may be entitled to receive this Allowance. This allowance is not due to parents who were originally in receipt of children’s allowance flat rate.
Children’s Allowance - Special Student Allowance (DSS)

This benefit is aimed to help parents and foster parents or legal guardians who have children between sixteen (16) and twenty (20) years of age but have not yet turned twenty-one (21) at the beginning of their scholastic year and who continue with their post-secondary education, regardless of whether they receive a stipend from the Department of Education or not. In case of students living alone, or those who are living in an Institution, the benefit is issued in their respective name. Meanwhile, if the student turns twenty (20) years old during the scholastic year, the allowance will still be given and the student will also benefit from the maximum of three (3) payments of five hundred euros (€500) per year until they remain in a post-secondary education. This benefit also applies to eligible foster parents.
Children’s Allowance and Child Birth or Adoption Bonus - Annual Income less than Threshold (DSS)

Children’s Allowance is awarded to married couples, civil union couples, cohabiting couples, single parents, separated parents or returned migrants, having the care and custody of their children under 16 years of age and whose total annual income of relevant year two (2) years prior to current year (example: Children’s Allowance 2026 - Income 2024) from employment is less than thirty thousand euro (€30,000).

However, if income exceeds twenty-three thousand and sixty-eight euro (€23,068) but is less than thirty thousand euro (€30,000), the minimum children’s Allowance rate will still be awarded. This results as if actual income is used to calculate the rate, the children's allowance due rate will be less than the minimum rate, thus minimum children’s allowance rate is awarded. This however, will not affect the children's allowance supplement.

As from 1^st January 2025, the calculations for this allowance will not include just the income of social security contributions, but also any income tax paid will be excluded as an income.

For information regarding cross-border situations please click here.
Children's Allowance - Claim for Revision (DSS)

Beneficiaries who are in receipt of Children’s Allowance are obliged to report any change of circumstances related to eligibility to the allowance to get the right amount of allowance.
Children's Allowance and Child Birth or Adoption Bonus - Additional Children (DSS)

Parents are eligible to receive Children’s Allowance for all children. Hence, if a beneficiary is receiving Children’s Allowance, upon birth or adoption of an additional child the Children’s Allowance claim and payment will be updated automatically.
Children's Allowance Supplement (DSS)

A Children’s Allowance Supplement has been introduced as from the 1st January 2021 as per budget measures. This is awarded to claimants in receipt of Children’s Allowance. Fostered children are not entitled for this Supplement.

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