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Updated July 22, 2026
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Worried you’ll miss payments because you moved countries, or unsure whether your short work history in Denmark affects the amount? This guide gives the clear, practical steps you need to get child benefit (or partial benefit) paid correctly.
- Administered by Udbetaling Danmark; applications are normally submitted via borger.dk.
- Payments depend on the child’s age, who the child lives with and how long you have been attached to the Danish labour market in Denmark or other EU/EEA/Switzerland countries.
- You (and your child) usually need a CPR number, NemKonto and MitID to manage and receive payments online.
- Payment goes to the person the child is registered as living with; joint custody and shared care can change who receives the money.
Understanding Child Benefit
Child benefit (børneydelse) is a state family allowance paid through Udbetaling Danmark to help cover day-to-day costs of raising children. Payments change as the child grows and your eligibility is commonly tied to your residence and work history.
Payments are typically made until the child reaches adulthood, but the schedule and amounts vary with age and schooling status. If your child goes into further education there are specific rules for continued payments – check with Udbetaling Danmark for exceptions.
What determines how much you get:
- The child’s age and whether they are in education.
- Your documented periods of residence or work in Denmark and (where relevant) validated insurance/residence periods in other EU/EEA/Switzerland countries.
- Who the child actually lives with and any custody arrangements.
Who receives child benefits in Denmark?
By default the payment is made to the parent or guardian who is registered as the child’s main residence in the civil register. In most cases that is the parent the child lives with permanently.
If the parents share custody, Udbetaling Danmark will normally pay the benefit to the parent who has the child the majority of the time or whose address is registered as the child’s residence. You can ask for a different arrangement if you have a written agreement or a court order showing another division.
- Single parents: usually receive the payment directly.
- Joint custody with equal time: Udbetaling Danmark may split payments or agree a different arrangement if you submit a custody agreement.
- Adoptive parents, foster parents and children with deceased parents: you will need extra documentation to prove entitlement.
- Multiple births (twins, triplets): inform Udbetaling Danmark early to ensure correct indexing of payments.
If the address in the civil register doesn’t match where the child actually lives (common in shared parenting), update the registered residence quickly – it’s the fastest way to avoid payment errors.
How child support differs from child benefit in Denmark
Child benefit (a public allowance) and child support (underholdsbidrag) are separate systems. Child benefit is paid by the state to the caregiver; child support is a legal obligation between parents to contribute financially to the child’s upkeep.
Key practical differences:
- Child benefit: administered by Udbetaling Danmark, not means-tested like social assistance, paid according to statutory schedules.
- Child support: private payment from one parent to the other. If parents cannot agree, the State Administration or courts can set and enforce payments.
If you are separating, read our guide to custody and maintenance to understand how legal orders interact with benefit payments and who should apply for what.
Warning: receiving child benefit does not replace court-ordered maintenance. Also, falsely declaring residence or work history to obtain a higher benefit can lead to repayment demands and penalties.
Applying for child benefits in Denmark as a foreigner
Many expat parents are eligible – but the size of the payment often depends on how long you’ve been employed or resident in Denmark or other qualifying states. Below is the practical route to follow so you’re not delayed.
- Register the child for a CPR number at your local borgerservice (Citizen Service). A CPR is essential to access public services and to get payments set up.
- Set up MitID for the parent who will manage the payments. MitID is used to log into borger.dk where you apply and track payments.
- Open a NemKonto (your Danish payment account) so Udbetaling Danmark can pay directly – most banks set this up as part of a regular bank account.
- Gather and upload documents: child’s birth certificate, proof of parentage, passports, residence permits, employment contracts and payslips. If you lived/worked in other EU/EEA/Switzerland countries, request written documentation so those periods can be validated.
- Apply on borger.dk or by post/phone to Udbetaling Danmark. Keep copies of everything and answer any follow-up requests quickly – missing paperwork is the most common cause of delay.
- Child’s birth certificate and CPR confirmation.
- Your passport and residence/work permits (if applicable).
- Payslips or employment contracts from Denmark and from other EU/EEA/Switzerland countries if you want those periods counted.
- Any custody agreements or court orders if parents live apart.
- Your bank details (NemKonto) for payments.
Processing times vary and Udbetaling Danmark may ask you to document prior employment or residence before paying the full rate. If you need help settling other practical items like healthcare registration or the CPR process, see our settling practical items when you arrive guide. If you’re planning to take time off around the birth, check how benefits interact with parental leave.
Childcare costs and how benefit money can be used are separate topics; for fees and the state childcare system see our daycare in Denmark guide. If your child will start school soon, read about what to expect at primary school.
Next practical steps
Register your child for a CPR number at borgerservice, set up MitID for the parent who will manage the claim, and then log into borger.dk to start the application to Udbetaling Danmark. Keep scanned copies of payslips and any foreign employment records ready to upload.