claim parental benefit

You can reach the clerks by telephone on Tuesdays from 10:00 - 12:00 and on Thursdays from 08:00 - 12:00. Please note that in addition to the telephone number of the clerks, you can also use the collective number 361-94300.

You can receive basic parental allowance from the day of birth until your child reaches the age of 14 months at the latest. It is not paid for calendar months, but for months of the child's life. The first month of life begins on the day of birth. As parents, you can divide the basic parental allowance between you for a maximum of 14 months, whereby one parent can receive basic parental allowance for a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 12 months.

For births from 01.04.2024, a new legal regulation applies to the possibility for parents to receive Basic Parental Allowance in parallel. Simultaneous receipt of basic parental allowance is then only possible for a maximum of one month up to the child's 12th month of life. There are exceptions to the parallel receipt of Parental Allowance Plus, the partnership bonus and for multiple births and particularly premature children.

If you are a single parent or are only entitled to parental allowance on your own for another reason, you can claim the total entitlement to basic parental allowance (14 months) on your own.

Parents of very prematurely born children receive additional months of parental allowance (for more detailed explanations, see: What applies to very prematurely born children?)

Please note:

From the 15th month of the child's life, Parental Allowance Plus and the partnership bonus can only be claimed without interruption. Parental Allowance Plus must be claimed by at least one parent in consecutive months.

Months for which one parent is entitled to maternity benefit or similar benefits are always counted as months in which this parent receives Basic Parental Allowance.

Parental Allowance Plus is available to all mothers and fathers who would like to receive their parental allowance for longer: One month of Basic Parental Allowance becomes two months of Parental Allowance Plus. Parental Allowance Plus is therefore also possible beyond the 14th month of life. The amount of Parental Allowance Plus is a maximum of half the monthly basic parental allowance amount. Parental Allowance Plus is particularly aimed at parents who wish to work part-time while receiving parental allowance.

Different periods apply for parents of very prematurely born children (for more detailed regulations, see: What applies to very prematurely born children?)

Further information and examples on Parental Allowance Plus can be found at:
www.elterngeld-plus.de

Please note:

From the 15th month of the child's life, Parental Allowance Plus and the partnership bonus can only be received without interruption. Parental Allowance Plus must be claimed by at least one parent in consecutive months.

Months for which one parent is entitled to maternity benefit or similar benefits are always counted as months in which this parent receives Basic Parental Allowance.

If you as a couple decide to work part-time at the same time, you will each receive 2, 3 or 4 additional months of Parental Allowance Plus. To do this, you must both work between 24 and 32 hours per week for at least 2, 3 or 4 consecutive months of the child's life. You are free to decide when you want to claim the partnership bonus as part of your parental allowance entitlement period.
Single parents who work between 24 and 32 hours per week for 2, 3 or 4 consecutive months can also claim the partnership bonus. You will then receive 2 to 4 additional months of Parental Allowance Plus.
Please note:
From the 15th month of the child's life (exception: children born particularly early, see next point), Parental Allowance Plus and the partnership bonus can only be drawn without interruption. Parental Allowance Plus must be claimed by at least one parent in consecutive months.
Months for which one parent is entitled to maternity benefit or similar benefits are always regarded as months in which this parent receives Basic Parental Allowance.

Depending on how early the child is born, parents receive up to 4 months longer parental allowance.

• Born at least 6 weeks early: 13 (plus 1) months of basic parental allowance are possible until the child is 15 months old. You are also entitled to 2 - 4 months partnership bonus. Parental Allowance Plus can be claimed up to the 32nd month of life as long as it is claimed by at least one parent in consecutive months from the 16th month of life.
• Born at least 8 weeks early: 14 (plus 2) months of Basic Parental Allowance are possible until the child is 16 months old. You are also entitled to 2 - 4 months partnership bonus. Parental Allowance Plus can be claimed up to the 32nd month of life as long as it is claimed by at least one parent in consecutive months from the 17th month of life.
• Born at least 12 weeks early: 15 (plus 3) months of Basic Parental Allowance are possible until the child is 17 months old. You are also entitled to 2 - 4 months partnership bonus. Parental Allowance Plus can be claimed up to the 32nd month of life as long as it is claimed by at least one parent in consecutive months from the 18th month of life.
• Born at least 16 weeks early: 16 (plus 4) months of Basic Parental Allowance are possible until the child is 18 months old. You are also entitled to 2 - 4 months partnership bonus. Parental Allowance Plus can be claimed up to the 32nd month of life as long as it is claimed by at least one parent in consecutive months from the 19th month of life.

A medical certificate or a certificate from a midwife or maternity nurse must be submitted as proof of the particularly early birth.

To apply for parental allowance digitally, you can fill out the application for parental allowance digitally/online, then print it out, sign it and send it to the parental allowance office in Bremen. An application assistant will help you and guide you through the application.

You can find the digital parental allowance application here: https://www.elterngeld-digital.de/ams/Elterngeld

Alternatively, you can also just use the online service "Einfach Leistungen für Eltern (ELFE)": https://onlinedienste.bremen.de/Onlinedienste/Service/Entry/ELFE

This is a change in your personal circumstances, which you must report to the Elterngeldstelle. The parental allowance office will then check the personal circumstances.

Parental allowance is offset against benefits under the Second Book of the Social Code, the Twelfth Book of the Social Code and § 6a of the Federal Child Benefit Act. There are exceptions if the beneficiary had earned income before the birth.

Child supplement (child benefit supplement) is not the same as (≠) parental allowance.

Applications for child supplement (Kindergeldzuschuss) should be addressed to the Bremen Family Welfare Office (Familienkasse Bremen):

https://www.arbeitsagentur.de/vor-ort/familienkasse/familienkasse-niedersachsen-bremen-bremen.html

Child benefit is not the same as (≠) parental benefit.

Applications for child benefits should be sent to the Familienkasse Bremen:

https://www.arbeitsagentur.de/vor-ort/familienkasse/familienkasse-niedersachsen-bremen-bremen.html