Children's leisure bonus will be paid out from August

The Bundestag decided on further financial aid for families in need with the "Catching up after Corona for children and young people" action programme. The children's leisure bonus is intended to help children and young people take advantage of holiday and leisure activities and make up for missed time. The one-off payment is not offset against social benefits. Families who receive child supplement (KiZ), housing benefit or assistance with living expenses will receive the children's leisure bonus from August 2021.

The child leisure bonus is available for every child for whom child supplement is received in August 2021 and who is under the age of majority on 1 August 2021. Families who are already known to the Family Benefits Office as KiZ recipients automatically receive the child leisure bonus in the form of a one-off payment - no application is required. Even if you receive KiZ and housing benefit or KiZ and basic income support benefits (SGB II) at the same time, the children's leisure bonus is automatically paid out by the Family Benefits Office. In these cases, payment will be made from 23 August 2021.

The following should be noted for recipients of only housing benefit and assistance with living expenses (social assistance under SGB XII): In order for the Family Benefits Office to be able to pay out the bonus promptly from August 2021 in these cases, the children's leisure bonus must be applied for using a short application form. This form is available at>>www.familienkasse.de. The completed application form and suitable proof of housing benefit or social assistance authorisation for August 2021 (e.g. grant notice) can be sent by post to the relevant family benefits office.

Customers who do not receive child supplement, housing benefit or social benefits under SGB XII, but are recipients of benefits under SGB II, the Asylum Seekers' Benefits Act (AsylbLG) or as part of the supplementary assistance for subsistence under the Social Compensation Act (BVG), also receive the children's leisure bonus. There is no need to submit a separate application for this; the children's leisure bonus is paid out automatically by the relevant office.

For general questions about the application process, the toll-free number 0800 4 5555 43 has been available since the beginning of July 2021. The application form available online can be sent to the dedicated email address