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Infant early death

Parents are entitled to childbirth allowance and parental benefits if the child is stillborn or dies within 70 days.

Childbirth allowance

One of the parents has the right to childbirth allowance even in the case of a stillborn child (from the 22nd week of pregnancy). The allowance is one-time, the amount is 320 euros. The right to childbirth allowance arises on the day the child is born.

Parental benefit


When mother works

A working mother is entitled to maternity leave and parental benefits for 100 consecutive calendar days from the 22nd week of pregnancy if the child is stillborn or dies within 70 calendar days. During this period, the mother is provided with health insurance.

If the mother has started to use the right to receive the maternity benefit before the stillbirth of the child, she has the right to use the maternity benefit and receive a total of 100 calendar days of maternity leave. For example, if a mother has been on maternity leave 70 calendar days before the birth of a child and has started using the mother's right to receive maternity benefits, she is entitled to another 30 calendar days of maternity leave and benefits after the child's stillbirth, for a total of 100 calendar days. If the mother has been on leave for, e.g., 30 calendar days before giving birth, she is entitled to another 70 calendar days of maternity leave and maternity benefits after the stillbirth, for a total of 100 calendar days.

There is also an exception here for mothers who, by the day of the child's death, have already used the maternity benefit for more than 70 calendar days. In this case, the mother has the right to receive the maternity benefit for an additional 30 consecutive calendar days from the day following the child's death. This means that, regardless of how many days the mother has managed to use up the maternity benefit by the day of the child's death, 30 calendar days of maternity leave and maternity benefit are guaranteed from the day of the child's death.

If the child dies while the mother has started to use the already shared parental benefit, the mother will be reregistered as a recipient of the maternity benefit.

When mother does not work

A mother who does not work has the right to receive the maternity benefit from 30 consecutive calendar days following the child's death, i.e., the parental benefit cannot be taken divided by days over a longer period of time, but all 30 days must be used consecutively if desired. During this period, the mother is provided with health insurance.

Fathers

The father has the right to receive paternity benefit and the paternity leave for 30 consecutive calendar days after the death of the child, regardless of whether the father has used the paternity leave and the right to receive the paternity allowance before the expected date of birth of the child or before the child's death. The paternity allowance cannot be taken divided by days over a longer period of time, but all 30 days must be used consecutively if desired. In the case of fathers, the determination and payment of paternity benefits do not make a difference whether the father is working or not.

In order to receive family benefits, parents generally do not need to contact us and submit applications themselves. The Social Insurance Board automatically receives information about the stillbirth or the death of a child through the data exchange between the health care information system and the social protection information system in order to enable a proactive offer of family benefits to parents who have lost a child through the Social Insurance Board's self-service. If parents have not received an offer within 14 working days, please contact us via self-service.  

Last updated: 21.03.2023

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