Family allowance in Switzerland

All parents in Switzerland are entitled to a family allowance to offset the cost of raising children. The family allowance is a monthly benefit paid out to one of the child’s parents or guardians and is open to everyone, both Swiss nationals and expats, so long as you meet certain criteria. 

Here is what you need to know about the family allowance in Switzerland, including eligibility criteria and the application process. 

What is the family allowance?

The family allowance is a monthly benefit paid out to families in Switzerland to support them with the cost of raising children. 

The family allowance in fact isn’t a single benefit; it’s an umbrella term for a few different allowances, including:

• The child allowance
• The education allowance
• The birth allowance
• The adoption allowance

The child allowance

The child allowance is a monthly benefit, paid from the month of the child’s birth to the end of the month they turn 16. If your child is under the age of 16 but meets the eligibility requirements for the (higher) education allowance, you will receive the education allowance instead of the child allowance. If your child is aged 16+ but cannot work due to health problems, you can continue to receive the child allowance up until their 20th birthday. 

As of 2026, the minimum child allowance rate is 215 CHF per month, but some Swiss cantons (and indeed some employers) pay a higher rate - see below for a breakdown. 

The education allowance

The education allowance is a monthly benefit for older children and young people in education. It replaces the child allowance and is paid from the beginning of the month when the child’s post-compulsory education or training programme begins, but no earlier than their 15th birthday. The allowance is paid until the child completes their education or training programme, but no later than their 25th birthday. 

As of 2026, the minimum education allowance rate is 268 CHF per month. 

The birth allowance

The birth allowance is a one-off payment given to each child born alive or after a gestational age of at least 23 weeks.

Currently, the birth allowance is only offered by the following Swiss cantons: 

• Fribourg
• Geneva
• Jura
• Lucerne
• Neuchâtel
• Schwyz
• Uri
• Valais
• Vaud

See the table below for the 2026 rates. 

The adoption allowance 

The adoption allowance is a one-off payment given to each minor child that is placed with a family with a view to adoption. Step-parents who adopt their step-children are not entitled to the allowance. 

Currently, the adoption allowance is only offered by the following cantons: 

• Fribourg
• Geneva
• Jura
• Lucerne
• Neuchâtel
• Uri
• Valais
• Vaud

See the table below for the 2026 rates. 

Do all Swiss cantons provide the family allowance?

The family allowance is mandated by the federal government in the Act on Family Allowances, meaning that all Swiss cantons must provide, at the very least, the child allowance and the education allowance, at a set minimum rate. 

Many cantons choose to provide a more generous allowance, and/or birth and adoption allowances as well. See the section below for a breakdown per canton. 

Who can receive a family allowance?

You can apply for the family allowance for your:

• Biological or adopted children
• Stepchildren who live primarily in your home
• Foster children, if they are taken in without payment and for permanent care
• Siblings and grandchildren, if you are their primary caregiver

Eligibility criteria

In order to qualify to receive the allowance, you must fulfil one of the following criteria:

• You work in Switzerland and earn a salary of at least 630 CHF per month or 7.560 CHF per year (in 2026).
• You are self-employed in Switzerland, are registered with the family allowances compensation fund (see section on applying below) and earn an income of at least 630 CHF per month or 7.560 CHF per year (in 2026). 
• You live in Switzerland, are not employed, have a taxable income of less than 45.360 CHF per year, and are not claiming any welfare benefits. 

If you live abroad but work in Switzerland, you may still be eligible for the family allowance - see the section below for more information. 

If you are employed or self-employed but unable to work due to sickness or an accident, the family allowance will be paid to you from the month when you become unable to work, for a maximum of four months in total. 

If you are receiving unemployment benefits, you cannot receive the family allowance, but you can claim a supplementary benefit that is equal to the amount of child or education allowance paid in the canton where you live. 

If you fulfil one of the above criteria, you will still remain eligible for the family allowance even if you are on paid leave, such as maternity leave or adoption leave. 

If multiple parents are eligible, who receives the allowance?

Only one person can receive the family allowance per child. If more than one person is eligible, there is a set order of entitlement:

1. Gainful employment: The person in gainful employment takes precedence
2. Parental authority: The person who is the child’s parent or guardian takes precedence
3. Custody: The person with whom the child primarily lives takes precedence
4. Domicile: The person who is gainfully employed in the child’s canton of residence takes precedence
5. Income: The person who earns more from employment takes precedence; if both people are self-employed, then the person who earns more from self-employment takes precedence 

The person whose entitlement takes precedence always receives the allowance. However, if the other eligible person works in a canton with a higher family allowance rate, you can request payment of the difference. 

How much is the child allowance and education allowance in Switzerland per canton?

As of 2026, the minimum child allowance is 215 CHF per month, and the minimum education allowance is 268 CHF per month - but many cantons provide a higher rate, as the following table shows:

Canton	Child allowance per month per child	Education allowance per month per child	Birth/adoption allowance (one-off)
Zurich	215 CHF (under 16) 268 CHF (16+)	268 CHF	-
Bern	250 CHF	310 CHF	-
Lucerne	215 CHF (under 12) 260 CHF (12+)	268 CHF	1.075 CHF
Uri	240 CHF	290 CHF	1.200 CHF
Schwyz	230 CHF	280 CHF	1.000 CHF (birth only - no adoption allowance)
Obwalden	220 CHF	270 CHF	-
Nidwalden	258 CHF	311 CHF	-
Glarus	215 CHF	268 CHF	-
Zug	330 CHF	330 CHF (under 18) 385 CHF (18+)	-
Fribourg	265 CHF (1 or 2 children) 285 CHF (3+ children)	325 CHF (1 or 2 children) 345 (3+ children)	1.500 CHF
Solothurn	215 CHF	268 CHF	-
Basel-Staft	275 CHF	325 CHF	-
Basel-Land	215 CHF	268 CHF	-
Schaffhausen	230 CHF	290 CHF	-
Appenzell-Ausserrhoden	230 CHF	280 CHF	-
Appenzell-Innerrhoden	245 CHF	298 CHF	-
St. Gallen	245 CHF	298 CHF	-
Graubünden	240 CHF	290 CHF	-
Aargau	225 CHF	278 CHF	-
Thurgau	215 CHF	280 CHF	-
Ticino	215 CHF	268 CHF	-
Vaud	322 CHF (1 or 2 children) 365 CHF (3+ children)	425 CHF (1 or 2 children) 468 (3+ children)	1.617 CHF 3.234 CHF (for multiple births or adoptions)
Valais	327 CHF (1 or 2 children) 435 CHF (3+ children)	477 CHF (1 or 2 children) 585 CHF (3+ children)	2.142 CHF 3.213 CHF (for multiple births or adoptions)
Neuchâtel	240 CHF (1 or 2 children) 270 CHF (3+ children)	320 CHF (1 or 2 children) 350 CHF (3+ children)	1.200 CHF
Geneva	311 CHF (1 or 2 children) 411 CHF (3+ children)	415 CHF (1 or 2 children) 515 CHF (3+ children)	2.073 CHF 3.073 CHF (for multiple births or adoptions)
Jura	275 CHF	325 CHF	1.500 CHF

These are the rates set by the cantons. Some employers may choose to pay you a higher allowance. 

Note that the family allowance counts towards your taxable income and must be declared in your tax return. 

Applying for the child or education allowance in Switzerland

You do not receive the family allowance automatically. If you are eligible, you need to apply for it. The process differs depending on whether you are employed, self-employed or retired:

Applying as an employee

If you are employed, you need to apply through your employer. You may need to provide some or all of the following documents:

• Residence permit
• Confirmation of residence in the canton, as provided by your council (Gemeinde)
• Passport or ID of the child you are applying for the allowance for

Applying as a self-employed person 

People who are self-employed must apply directly to the Family Compensation Fund (CAF) in the region where they are registered. See a list of regional centres in Switzerland.

Note that as a self-employed person you need to contribute to the family allowance - see the section on funding below. 

Applying if you are retired or do not work

People who do not work and have dependents must apply at the same CAF office as self-employed people. Retirees must go to whichever centre handles their pension in Switzerland.

How will I receive the family allowance?

If your application is approved, your family allowance will begin to be paid out monthly:

• If you are employed: Alongside your regular salary
• If you are self-employed: Directly from the CAF
• If you are retired: Alongside your regular pension

What do I do when my child becomes too old to claim the family allowance?

It is your responsibility to contact your employer or Family Compensation Fund should any of your circumstances change, since this might disqualify you from claiming the family allowance. 

For instance, you should inform the responsible office if:

• Your child reaches the age of 25
• Your child reaches the age of 16 (20 for disabled or unwell children) and is not pursuing further education or vocational training
• Your child is no longer your dependent (for instance, if you lose custody)
• Your child begins to earn a wage

How is the family allowance funded?

The family allowance is funded by mandatory insurance premiums that are paid to the family allowance social insurance scheme. 

If you are working, these premiums are covered entirely by your employer in all cantons, apart from Valais, where the employee also contributes 0,171% of their salary. 

If you are self-employed, you must cover the premiums yourself. Contributions are a proportion of your income (up to a maximum threshold of 148.200 CHF per year in 2026). The exact rate varies from canton to canton but is somewhere between 0,9% and 2,8% of your income. 

Can I receive child benefits even if I or my children live outside of Switzerland? 

Even if you or your child lives outside of Switzerland, you may still be eligible to receive child benefits in Switzerland, as follows:

• Cross-border workers who are employed in Switzerland can apply for the family allowance.
• If you are employed in Switzerland and subject to Swiss social security, you can receive the family allowance for children who live in EFTA or EU member countries.
• If you are temporarily stationed abroad by your Swiss employer but remain subject to Swiss social security, you can continue to receive the family allowance.

Note that if you also receive child benefits from a different country, you can only claim the Swiss family allowance to make up the difference between the foreign benefit and the (usually higher) Swiss allowance. 

Can I still claim Swiss family allowance if my child is studying abroad?

So long as your child remains your dependent, you can still receive the family allowance, even if they are studying abroad. However, you must tell your employer or Family Compensation Fund where your child is going to study and that you are still supporting them. You might be asked to provide a proof of study letter from your child's university or technical school.