The start of the school year always puts a strain on the family budget: school supplies, clothes, shoes, school bags… Under the new measure, families in need and those in special circumstances a grant of 100,000 forints per child will receive for the start of this school year.
Since the amount will be delivered in two instalments, and as it doesn’t automatically apply to every schoolchild, I’ve put together the most important things to know!
1. Who is eligible for the 100,000 forint grant?
Children are eligible for this grant if they receive family allowance (child-rearing allowance or school attendance grant) in August, are attending a state school or a vocational training institution (or are starting Year 1), and meet one of the following criteria: at least one of the conditions applies to it:
Single parent brings up;
For a regular child protection allowance is entitled;
Children with special educational needs (SEN);
Chronically ill or severely disabled (this entitles the recipient to a higher rate of child benefit);
On orphan's allowance is entitled to;
In specialist child care lives;
In the Dobbantó programme or is taking part in a workshop-based training programme.
Important: The benefit is paid per child! If there are two eligible children in a family, the amount of the benefit is: 2 × 100,000 Ft = 200,000 Ft.
2. What is the situation with alternating custody? (Joint maintenance)
This section affects a lot of people: if the parents live apart but share custody of the child (and they also receive the family allowance split 50-50%):
The amount of the grant, which is 100,000 forints, is also is divided equally between the two parents.
This means that Both parents are entitled to a grant of 50,000 – 50,000 forints for the child (which they also receive in accordance with the rules governing the two instalments).
3. When and how will the money be paid? (The two instalments)
The 100,000 forints is not paid in a single instalment, but in two equal instalments is paid out by the Hungarian State Treasury:
First instalment (50,000 Ft): Until 24 August is paid by bank transfer or by post – in exactly the same way as families receive their child benefit.
Second instalment (50,000 Ft): Until 30 November families should receive back-to-school voucher in the form of a voucher which can be redeemed specifically for the child’s education and school supplies.
4. Do I need to apply for the grant separately?
NO! Most eligible individuals do not need to take any action. The authorities will automatically determine eligibility on the basis of existing government records and transfer the payment.
All you need to do is: It’s worth checking that your details are up to date with the Treasury and the school (e.g. bank account number, address, or proof of an SNI expert’s assessment) to ensure that the payment goes through smoothly!
5. Good to know: The grant is exempt from tax and enforcement!
The 100,000 Ft grant provided by the state completely exempt from tax and social security contributions, it is not included in the income, and cannot even be subject to enforcement proceedings (i.e. the bank cannot debit the account because of an outstanding debt).
Summary
The aim of the new grant is to help those families for whom the start of the school year represents the greatest financial burden. If you fall into any of the above categories, keep an eye on your bank account or check your post until 24 August for the first instalment of 50,000 forints!
