Inclusion, Equality and Social Welfare

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.

The Children’s Allowance payment rate will be revised in line with the change in circumstance.

The payment for this allowance is issued every thirteen (13) weeks in advance.

Please click here for a Schedule of Benefits Rates.

One may make use of the online Calculator to calculate the potential Children’s Allowance.

An application typically takes four (4) weeks to be processed if all accompanying documentation meet the requirements.

One must inform the Department of Social Security about all changes in circumstances immediately and within 6 months, not least where:

• A separation case is in process or finalised, whereby the Children’s Allowance entitlement will be assessed on the parent’s income with whom the children live.

• A change in care and custody of children, whereby the Children’s Allowance entitlement is paid to the parent having custody of the children. In certain instances, the grandparents become entitled to the Children’s Allowance entitlement if they have the care and custody of children and living in the same household.

   

• Joint custody, whereby each parent will receive fifty percent (50%) of the Children‘s Allowance entitlement.

   

• A change in marital status due to marriage, civil union or cohabitation, whereby the Children’s Allowance entitlement will be assessed on the declared income of both parents with effect from the date of change in status.

   

• A change in marital status due to the death of one of the parents, whereby the Children’s Allowance entitlement is re-assessed on the declared income of one parent with effect from the date of change in status.

   

• One of the parents stops working, whereby the Children’s Allowance entitlement will then be re-assessed on the declared income of the employed parent one of the parents.

   

• A parent becomes entitled to social security benefits, whereby the Children’s Allowance entitlement will then be re-assessed in accordance to the social security benefits entitlement.

   

• The Children’s Allowance entitlement is awarded as a flat-rate and if the declared income of both parents does not exceed the threshold as per year of assessment, the Children’s Allowance entitlement will then be re-assessed in accordance to declared income of both parents.

Documentation required

• If applying as a couple, a separate declaration with signature of both parents is required. Click here to download this document.

• For Children’s Allowance Rate Review

  • Income of both parents of relevant two (2) years prior to current year (example: Children’s Allowance for 2026 – Requires Income of 2024) from all the full-time and part-time employment both in Malta and / or abroad – include FS3s, Profit and Loss Accounts in case of self-employed and Memorandum of Articles in case of Directors.

• For change of civil status (depending on case)

  • Copies of Identity Cards of parent/s or adoptive parent/s.

  • Date of cohabitation / Marriage / Civil Union.

  • Separation contract / court decree (depending on case) in case of separated or single parents.

  • For separation cases where the separation contract is not yet finalised or when a single person is applying for Children’s Allowance with a partner and not with the father of the minor, a legal document by the claiming parent’s legal representative, naming the parent who has effective care and custody (de facto) of the child/children with full children’s details, providing also effective date of care and custody. This declaration must also include certification on whether maintenance is being paid to the same parent claiming the effective care and custody of the child/children. Click here to download the Care and Custody declaration.

Fill in and submit the application online.