Child benefit in France

[googietheegg]

Does anyone know how long you get the monthly allocation de basse (I think that's what CAF call it)? Someone said its until your child is three, but that seems odd. Does it just stop when they're three and you get nothing?

[bunnyfrance]

No, that's the PAJE (prestation d'accueil du jeune enfant) which you only get if you're paying for childcare. The rate goes down after they're 6, if I remember correctly. The allocation familiale, which is child benefit, you get from the second child (or possibly the first under a new law? I'm not sure), until they're 20 (or earlier if they're self-sufficient). As far as I'm aware, the Socialist government is trying to make, or has already made, the AF dependent on income, which it wasn't before.

[alteredimages]

We received the allocation de base until the month before DD turned three. It did stop and we received nothing, but at that point DD was about to start maternelle so she was in free full time school and DS was born four months later . If the child's birthday is 31st December for example, the last payment will be for November. The allocation familiale is indeed paid from the second child.

The PAJE is comprised of four separate benefits: the prime de naissance which is a means tested lump sum paid just before the birth or on the adoption of a child, the allocation de base and the complement de libre choix de mode du garde and the complement de libre choix d'activite. It is only the last two that you need to be working/paying childcare to receive.

I am fairly certain there are additional payments for familles nombreuses which means families with at least three children.

[googietheegg]

Thank you both so much for your wisdom! I'm still confused tho...at the mo we get 180euros a month and dd is two - we both work from home and don't pay for any childcare.

If everything stays as it is (no childcare and only one child) will we keep getting this payment until the month before she's three and then nothing?

[bunnyfrance]

Sorry, not enough of a specialist to answer that - would you be able to contact the CAF directly? They'll be able to tell you.

[alteredimages]

googie that is my understanding of what happens, yes. From the month your child turns three you no longer receive the allocation de base. As far as I know the allocation de base is not linked to whether you use childcare or not.

I too am no expert, I just happened to be in a similar position to you last year. It would be worth contacting your local CAF office to find out more, though I know straight answers can be hard to come by.

I was lucky to have a really good PMI near me who could help with looking at what benefits you might be entitled to, the Mairie was also good.