claim parental benefit

You can reach the clerks by telephone on Tuesdays from 10:00 - 12:00 and on Thursdays from 08:00 - 12:00. Please note that in addition to the telephone number of the clerks, you can also use the collective number 361-94300.

You can receive basic parental allowance from the day of birth until your child reaches 14 months of age at the latest. It is paid based on the child’s months of age, not calendar months. The first month of life begins on the day of birth. As parents, you can divide the basic parental allowance between yourselves for a maximum of 14 months, with one parent eligible to receive basic parental allowance for at least 2 and at most 12 months.

Months for which a parent is entitled to maternity benefits or similar benefits are always considered months in which that parent receives basic parental allowance.

The option for parents to receive the basic parental allowance simultaneously is limited. Simultaneous receipt of basic parental allowance is only possible for a maximum of one month up to the child’s 12th month of life. Exceptions to this rule apply to Parental Allowance Plus, the partnership bonus, and in cases of multiple births and particularly premature infants.

If you are a single parent or are entitled to parental allowance on your own for another reason, you can claim the full entitlement to basic parental allowance (14 months) on your own.

Parents of extremely premature infants receive additional months of parental allowance (for more detailed information, see the section: What applies to extremely premature infants?) 

Please note:

Starting from the child’s 15th month of life, Parental Allowance Plus and the partnership bonus can only be received without interruption. Parental Allowance Plus must be claimed by at least one parent in consecutive months.

All mothers and fathers who wish to receive parental allowance for a longer period can take advantage of Parental Allowance Plus: One month of basic parental allowance is converted into two months of Parental Allowance Plus. Parental Allowance Plus is therefore available even beyond the child’s 14th month of life. The amount of Parental Allowance Plus is capped at half the monthly basic parental allowance amount. Parental Allowance Plus is specifically designed for parents who wish to work part-time while receiving parental allowance.

Different time periods apply to parents of extremely premature infants (for more detailed regulations, see the section: What applies to extremely premature infants?)

Please note:

Starting from the child’s 15th month of life, Parental Allowance Plus and the Partnership Bonus can only be received without interruption. At least one parent must claim Parental Allowance Plus for consecutive months.

Months for which a parent is entitled to maternity benefits or similar benefits are always considered months in which that parent receives basic parental allowance.

If both parents decide to work part-time at the same time, they each receive 2, 3, or 4 additional months of Parental Allowance Plus. To qualify, both parents must work between 24 and 32 hours per week simultaneously for at least 2, 3, or 4 consecutive calendar months of the child’s life. You are free to decide when you would like to claim the partnership bonus during your parental allowance benefit period.
Single parents who work between 24 and 32 hours per week for 2, 3, or 4 consecutive months are also eligible for the partnership bonus. They will then receive 2 to 4 additional months of Parental Allowance Plus.

Please note:
Starting from the child’s 15th month of life (exception: children born at least 6 weeks premature, see next point), Parental Allowance Plus and the partnership bonus can only be received without interruption. At least one parent must receive Parental Allowance Plus for consecutive months.
Months for which a parent is entitled to maternity benefits or similar benefits are always considered months in which that parent receives basic parental allowance.

Depending on how early the child is born, parents receive up to 4 months longer parental allowance.

• Born at least 6 weeks early: 13 (plus 1) months of basic parental allowance are possible until the child is 15 months old. You are also entitled to 2 - 4 months partnership bonus. Parental Allowance Plus can be claimed up to the 32nd month of life as long as it is claimed by at least one parent in consecutive months from the 16th month of life.
• Born at least 8 weeks early: 14 (plus 2) months of Basic Parental Allowance are possible until the child is 16 months old. You are also entitled to 2 - 4 months partnership bonus. Parental Allowance Plus can be claimed up to the 32nd month of life as long as it is claimed by at least one parent in consecutive months from the 17th month of life.
• Born at least 12 weeks early: 15 (plus 3) months of Basic Parental Allowance are possible until the child is 17 months old. You are also entitled to 2 - 4 months partnership bonus. Parental Allowance Plus can be claimed up to the 32nd month of life as long as it is claimed by at least one parent in consecutive months from the 18th month of life.
• Born at least 16 weeks early: 16 (plus 4) months of Basic Parental Allowance are possible until the child is 18 months old. You are also entitled to 2 - 4 months partnership bonus. Parental Allowance Plus can be claimed up to the 32nd month of life as long as it is claimed by at least one parent in consecutive months from the 19th month of life.

A medical certificate or a certificate from a midwife or maternity nurse must be submitted as proof of the particularly early birth.

Parental allowance is offset against benefits under the Second Book of the Social Code, the Twelfth Book of the Social Code and § 6a of the Federal Child Benefit Act. There are exceptions if the beneficiary had earned income before the birth.

Child supplement (child benefit supplement) is not the same as (≠) parental allowance.

Applications for child supplement (Kindergeldzuschuss) should be addressed to the Bremen Family Welfare Office (Familienkasse Bremen):

https://www.arbeitsagentur.de/vor-ort/familienkasse/familienkasse-niedersachsen-bremen-bremen.html

Child benefit is not the same as (≠) parental benefit.

Applications for child benefits should be sent to the Familienkasse Bremen:

https://www.arbeitsagentur.de/vor-ort/familienkasse/familienkasse-niedersachsen-bremen-bremen.html

Yes, in Bremen you can apply for parental allowance online. Applying online has a number of advantages:

• Faster processing compared to a paper application
• Step-by-step instructions guide you through the application process and provide additional information
• The application and the required supporting documents can be submitted directly and easily via the digital application service “ElterngeldDigital”
• Your information is checked immediately, and any necessary supporting documents are requested
• With an electronic ID card and by using a federal user account, you can also sign the application digitally. All you need is your email address. Information about the federal user account can be found under “Further Information” – “BundID – Helpful Information.”

Click the “Complete Online” button in the upper left corner to go directly to the online application.

This is a change in your personal circumstances, which you must inform the parental allowance office of. The parental allowance office will then check the personal circumstances.

If you have applied for parental allowance, the amount of the allowance will be calculated by the relevant parental allowance office.

Parental allowance is based on the average monthly net income available to the parent providing care during the relevant assessment period prior to the birth. For employees, the relevant assessment period is the last 12 months before the birth; for self-employed individuals (and those with mixed income), it is the last tax assessment period (calendar year) before the birth.

The following months are not taken into account:

• during which maternity benefits were received,
• during which basic parental allowance is received
• during which Parental Allowance Plus is received for an older child up to and including the child’s 14th month of life
• in which income has decreased due to a pregnancy-related illness or due to military or civilian service obligations.

For employees, months further back in time are used instead of these months. For self-employed individuals and those with mixed income, the preceding tax assessment period (or the profit determination periods on which it is based) applies upon request.

A maximum of 2,770 EUR is considered as the average monthly net income prior to the birth of your child.

Other payments (particularly one-time payments) and tax-exempt income are not counted as income.

Deductions for taxes and social security contributions are calculated on a flat-rate basis. In addition, a flat-rate amount for income-related expenses is deducted each month.

Amount of the basic parental allowance:

Eligible recipients receive a minimum of 300.00 EUR and a maximum of 1,800 EUR per calendar month.

As basic parental allowance, you normally receive 65 percent of the net income you had before the birth and which ceases after the birth. This means:

• In the calendar months during which you have no income, the basic parental allowance is 65 percent of your net income before the birth.
• During the months in which you have income, the basic parental allowance is 65 percent of the difference between your net income before the birth and your net income afterward.
• Low-income earners: If your net income was less than 1,240 EUR before your child’s birth, you will receive more than 65 percent of your net income and thus a higher amount of parental allowance. In that case, the percentage of your income difference that you receive as parental allowance increases. The lower your net income was, the higher the percentage. If your net income was between 1,240 EUR and 1,200 EUR, the percentage increases in small increments from 65 percent to 67 percent. If your income was between 1,200 EUR and 1,000 EUR, you will receive 67 percent. If your income was less than 1,000 EUR, the percentage increases again in small increments up to 100 percent.

Amount of Parental Allowance Plus:

The amount of Parental Allowance Plus is calculated in the same way as the basic parental allowance.

You receive parental allowance for twice as long, but no more than half of the full basic parental allowance.

Sibling Bonus and Multiple-Birth Supplement:

You receive a sibling bonus in addition to the calculated parental allowance if and as long as an older sibling under the age of three or two older siblings under the age of six live in the household. The sibling bonus amounts to 10 percent of the parental allowance to which you are entitled; if you receive the basic parental allowance, it is at least 75.00 EUR per month, and if you receive Parental Allowance Plus, it is at least 37.50 EUR per month.

In the case of multiple births, the basic parental allowance increases by 300.00 EUR for each additional child (and by 150.00 EUR for Parental Allowance Plus).

Tip: To help you plan and calculate your benefits, you can use the parental allowance calculator provided by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs. You’ll find the link to the parental allowance calculator under “Further Information.”