Allowance paid in case of death of a child
Verified 01 April 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
Assistance may be given to the parents of a child present at the home who dies before the age of 25. The amount of this assistance depends on the number of dependent children and the resources of the household. We present you the regulations to know.
The allowance shall be paid if the death of the child present at the home has occurred:
- From the 20th week of pregnancy
- And before his 25th birthday.
In addition, the death of the child must have occurred there less than 2 years old.
The allowance is paid to the person or couple who, at the time of death, assumed the actual and permanent responsibility for the child.
You must distinguish between whether you depend on the general (Caf) or agricultural (MSA) scheme.
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General case (Caf)
You are already a recipient
The Caf: titleContent automatically awards the allowance as soon as it is informed of the death by the civil registration services.
FYI
If your resources are not known to the FCA, it will ask you to declare them to determine the amount of the allowance to be paid.
You're not on the payroll yet
Death of a child under 16 or a lifeless child
You must complete the application form for the child death benefit and send it to your Caf: titleContent.
Application for Death Benefit - Under 16 Years (Caf)
Please note
If you have a lifeless birth certificate, you must send it to your caisse.
Death of a child aged 16 to 25
You must complete the application form for the child death benefit and send it to your Caf: titleContent.
Application for allowance paid in case of death of the child - 16 / 25 years (Caf)
Agricultural Scheme (MSA)
You are already a recipient
The MSA automatically awards the allowance as soon as it is informed of the death by the civil registration authorities.
FYI
If your resources are not known to your caisse, it will ask you to declare them to determine the amount of the allowance to be paid.
You're not on the payroll yet
You must register online on the website of the MSA: titleContent.
The amount of the allowance depends on the number of dependent children and the income of the parents at the time of death.
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1 child
Resources | Amount of allowance |
|---|---|
Up to €99,940 | €2,319.32 |
More than €99,940 | €1,159.68 |
2 children
Resources | Amount of allowance |
|---|---|
Up to €106,604 | €2,319.32 |
More than €106,604 | €1,159.68 |
3 children
Resources | Amount of allowance |
|---|---|
Up to €113,268 | €2,319.32 |
More than €113,268 | €1,159.68 |
4 children
Resources | Amount of allowance |
|---|---|
Up to €119,932 | €2,319.32 |
More than €119,932 | €1,159.68 |
The fund shall pay the allowance within 15 days, once it has obtained all the necessary information.
FYI
The payment of certain family benefits is maintained after the death of the child, under certain conditions.
This is the case for:
You cannot combine the allowance with a death benefit paid by a social security organization (for example, the health insurance fund).
If you are in this situation, you need to make a choice after Caf or MSA.
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General case (Caf)
You must fill out a form and send it to your caisse:
Election for payment of the death benefit for a child aged 16 to 25
Agricultural Scheme (MSA)
You must inform your caisse of your choice.
FYI
The allowance paid in the event of the death of a child shall not be taken into account for the award of:
- RSA (active solidarity income)
- From the activity premium
- And of the complementary health solidarity
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
If you depend on the general plan
Family Allowance Fund (Caf)If you depend on the farm system
Agricultural Social Mutuality (MSA)
Lump-sum allowance paid in the event of the death of a child
FAQ
Service Public
National Family Allowance Fund (Cnaf)
