01Keep kinderbijslag and kindgebonden budget separate
Kinderbijslag is child benefit administered by the Sociale Verzekeringsbank, or SVB. Registration at a Dutch address alone does not prove entitlement: SVB assesses whether the parent is insured under the applicable rules and explains the application route. For a first child, an application may become available in Mijn SVB after an SVB notice; other situations, including a child arriving from abroad, have their own route.
Kindgebonden budget is a separate contribution administered by Dienst Toeslagen. It depends on matters including who receives kinderbijslag, household composition, income and assets. Some households receive an automatic notice because Dienst Toeslagen already has data from another allowance, while others must apply through Mijn toeslagen. Do not treat an SVB decision as a promise that this second scheme will be paid.
02Use the official calculation and keep estimates current
Amounts and thresholds change, and the result depends on personal data. Use the current official proefberekening rather than a fixed amount copied from a forum or an old article. Check whose name the kinderbijslag uses, whether there is a toeslagpartner and which annual income and assets Dienst Toeslagen expects.
A toeslag is normally paid as an advance and later finalised. Report relevant changes, such as income, partnership, address, childcare hours or provider, through Mijn toeslagen or the Toeslagen app and retain the decisions. LiveInNL does not calculate entitlement and does not collect BSNs, DigiD credentials or household financial data.
03Check the childcare place before applying for kinderopvangtoeslag
Kinderopvangtoeslag applies only when all relevant conditions are met. Dienst Toeslagen checks matters such as work, recognised study, civic integration or a route to work for the applicant and partner, the child’s registered address and approved childcare. A waiting-list entry or informal childcare agreement is not enough.
Verify the exact childcare address and its LRK number in the Landelijk Register Kinderopvang. Obtain the contract showing the child, hourly rate, hours, start date and type of care. Tussenschoolse opvang and ordinary care by friends or relatives do not qualify unless the official conditions for registered care are met. Apply with the actual contract details and update changes promptly.
04Search for childcare and municipal support as separate tasks
Use the LRK to verify registered day care, BSO or a childminder, then contact the provider directly about availability, waiting lists, opening times, notice and total price. Registration in the LRK means the location is in the official register; it does not guarantee a place or that every cost is reimbursed.
If kinderopvangtoeslag does not apply, ask the municipality, consultatiebureau or provider about local options. Municipalities may support preschool education, a subsidised toddler place or childcare based on a social-medical indication under local conditions. The municipality decides its local route; LiveInNL does not promise a place or subsidy.
05Follow the municipality and school admission route
A child may attend primary school from age 4, and compulsory attendance starts on the first day of the month after the child turns 5. Registration can start from age 3. First check the municipality’s rules because schools may use catchment areas, priority rules, lotteries or shared placement arrangements. A preferred school can be full or have a waiting list.
Contact the school with the child’s BSN and requested identity or birth evidence; when transferring, the former school may need to provide deregistration information. The school decides admission and has duties when extra support is needed. For a newly arrived child, ask the local school and municipality about newcomer or language-support classes rather than assuming a private international school is required.
