Parental allowance

An important point is the question of how your family will be financially secure after the birth. Parental allowance plays an important role here: it replaces part of your income if you take a full or partial break from work after the birth. Find out about the different types of parental allowance here and choose the parental allowance model that suits you best.

Have you made your plans? Then you can start by completing the online application!

These are the advantages of the online application:

• You will be guided through the application step by step. We will only ask you the questions that apply to your case.
• You will find out which documents the parental allowance office needs in your case. You can upload these documents immediately.
• You can save your details temporarily, even before your child is born. Once your child is born, all you have to do is fill in the date of birth and click on "Send".

Parental allowance replaces part of your lost income if you want to be there for your child after the birth and work less or not at all for a while. Even if you had no income before the birth, you can still receive parental allowance.

Parental allowance is available in three variants: basic parental allowance, parental allowance plus and partnership bonus. You can combine the variants with each other.

In North Rhine-Westphalia, parental allowance applications are processed by the districts and independent cities. The staff at your parental allowance office will advise you on all questions relating to parental allowance and parental leave - on site, by telephone or by email.

To view the contact details of your parental allowance office, please enter your zip code or place of residence.

Parental leave offers mothers and fathers the opportunity to take unpaid time off work to look after their child. Parental leave and parental allowance are therefore not the same thing. However, it is often practical to combine them. You can find more information on why exactly here. Who can take parental leave and what does it mean to be on parental leave? You can find answers to these and other important questions about parental leave here. We also show you what you need to bear in mind when applying for parental leave.