Who is the beneficiary of the Groeipakket?

The beneficiary group

The beneficiary is the person to whom the Groeipakket is granted. This can be a maximum of two people.

Both parents as beneficiary

Usually, both parents are the beneficiaries of the Groeipakket. Together, the parents make up the beneficiary group:

both when living together
as well as when they are separated, regardless of the child's domicile.

One parent as beneficiary

In the following situations, only one parent is the beneficiary of the Groeipakket:

the parent has exclusive parental authority
the parent has been designated as beneficiary by the family court
the other parent is deceased or absent (determined by the justice of the peace)
the other parent has been deprived of parental rights
the other parent is unknown.

The guardian(s) as beneficiary

Sometimes the parents cannot raise the child themselves. Then whoever actually raises the child is the beneficiary. If the child stays in a foster home, the foster parent becomes the beneficiary.

The child itself as beneficiary

Sometimes the child becomes a beneficiary of the Groeipakket itself:

if it is married
if it is emancipated
if it is at least 16 years old and does not live with its parents or actual guardians
if it is the beneficiary for its own child(ren).

If the child wishes, it can designate someone else (relative or relative in the first degree) as beneficiary. However, this offers few advantages.

Children born before 2019

The benefit recipient

In the old child benefit system, the child benefit was usually paid to the mother (= the benefit recipient). Since 2019, the person who received the child benefit before 2019 will continue to receive the Groeipakket as long as the family situation does not change.

Change in the family situation

Do you have one or more children born before 2019 and is a child joining your family? Then from then on, as parents together, you are entitled to the Groeipakket (= beneficiaries) for your joint children.

You decide together for all your children to which account the Groeipakket will be paid and from which payment fund you will receive it.

If you do not agree on this, payment will be made to the youngest parent. The family court can provide for a different payment rule in the best interests of the child and at the request of a party involved. A judgment is always followed.

Choosing to both become the beneficiaries of the Groeipakket

Is no extra child joining your family? Since 2020, parents can also choose to both become beneficiaries. For divorced parents, that choice may have an impact on a possible social allowance.

> Read more about the social allowance

Are you considering becoming the beneficiary of your child(ren)'s Groeipakket together with the other parent? Your payment fund or the Agentschap Uitbetaling Groeipakket can give you more information on what that would mean in your situation.

Important to know: a payment fund will never share privacy-sensitive information (e.g. income) regarding the other parent with you.