Can unclaimed family benefits be collected retroactively?

Verified 12 December 2025 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

In the case of certain family benefits, if you did not apply for them even though you met the conditions to receive them, you have a period of 2 years from the day on which the conditions for entitlement were met to apply for them.

In principle, family benefits shall be payable from 1er day of calendar month next the one in which the conditions of the opening of the right (examples: family supplement, back-to-school allowance).

Example :

You have been eligible to receive family benefits since June 10 of year X. These family benefits are due to you from 1er day of the following calendar month, i.e. from 1er July of the same year X.

HoweverHowever, some benefits cannot be paid retroactively. That is the case in particular for theparental presence allowance (AJPP), on free choice of care (CMG) supplement and thechild-rearing allowance for disabled children (AEEH).

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Daily Parental Attendance Allowance (DPA)

The payment is due from 1er day of the month in which the application was lodged. This benefit is therefore not not paid retroactively.

It is the date of filing of the application that is taken into account for the opening of rights, and not the mere fact that the conditions for opening the right are met.

Free choice of custody mode (CMG) supplement

The CMG is due from 1er day of calendar month preceding that of the deposit the application, provided that the conditions for entitlement are met by that date. In this case, the retroactivity is not possible.

However, the right shall be available from 1er day of calendar month where the conditions are met in 2 cases:

  • When a right is already opened in respect of another child. In this case, retroactivity may be requested
  • Where the application is filed in the month in which the conditions are met.

Education allowance for disabled children (AEEH)

AEEH shall be granted from 1er day of next month that of deposit of demand. This benefit is therefore not not paid retroactively.

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