Maternity allowance and maternity leave for self-employed workers
Are you self-employed and expecting a baby? Then you are entitled to a maternity allowance: financial support during your maternity leave (also known as maternity rest). This allows you and your partner to spend more time with your baby, without worrying about your income.
On this page
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Applying for maternity allowance and maternity leave as a self-employed person
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Checking your allowance on My Helan
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Duration of maternity leave as a self-employed person
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How much is your maternity allowance as a self-employed person
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Payment calendar for maternity allowance for self-employed workers
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Frequently asked questions about maternity allowance and leave as a self-employed person
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105 free service vouchers for self-employed mothers
Applying for maternity allowance and maternity leave as a self-employed person
During your maternity leave, you may be entitled to a maternity allowance. The maternity allowance is a replacement income paid by Helan during your maternity leave or maternity rest. Start your application before the birth. Make sure the contributions for the 3 previous quarters have been paid to the social insurance fund.
- Log in to My Helan
- Select the section Work incapacity and benefits
- Click on Work incapacity or expecting a baby
- Complete the step-by-step module
Please provide us with the following documents no earlier than 3 weeks before the expected due date:
- The application form for maternity leave for self-employed workers.
- A medical certificate from your treating physician or a certificate from Child and Family (Kind en Gezin) stating the expected due date and whether you are expecting a single or multiple birth.
Submit this via a single digital file upload online or by post to Helan Health Insurance Fund, Boomsesteenweg 5, 2610 Wilrijk.
The birth certificate is issued by the civil registry office of your municipality when you register the birth.
Please send us a copy of the birth certificate (you must keep the original document):
- online
- or by post to Helan Health Insurance Fund, Boomsesteenweg 5, 2610 Wilrijk.
After receiving the copy of the birth certificate:
- we calculate the exact duration and end date of your maternity leave.
- we register your baby with Helan.
- we also send you adhesive labels. You can find the ISI+ card for your child on the MyGov website.
Based on the copy of your birth certificate and the information on your application form, we calculate the exact duration and end date of your maternity leave, and you will receive a maternity allowance.
Is your allowance file complete?
Would you like to know whether everything is in order for the payment of your maternity allowance? Follow the status of your file and subscribe to payment notifications in My Helan. You will immediately know whether an allowance has been paid.
Duration of maternity leave for self-employed workers
Maternity leave for self-employed workers lasts a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 12 weeks (13 weeks in case of a multiple birth).
The maternity rest consists of 3 periods:
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The mandatory prenatal rest (before the birth): 1 week, to be taken before the expected due date.
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The mandatory postnatal rest (after the birth): 2 weeks, to be taken after the actual date of birth.
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The optional rest (before or after the birth): maximum 9 weeks (or 10 weeks in case of a multiple birth).
As a self-employed worker, you can organise your maternity rest yourself:
- You are in any case required to stop working 1 week before the expected due date, and to take 2 weeks immediately after the birth.
- Your optional postnatal leave can be split into periods of 7 calendar days and can be taken up to 36 weeks after your mandatory maternity rest.
During the optional period of your maternity leave, you may continue your professional activity on a half-time basis. In this case, the optional period will amount to a maximum of 18 weeks of half-time maternity leave (or 20 weeks in case of a multiple birth).
Are you an employee/unemployed? You are also entitled to a maternity allowance.
Find out which allowance you receive for your maternity leave if you are employed or unemployed.
Amount of maternity allowance for self-employed workers
The maternity allowance you receive as a self-employed worker is a fixed (flat-rate) amount. You can find the most recent amount on the INAMI (RIZIV) website.
Payment calendar for maternity allowance for self-employed workers
This calender shows you on which day you will receive your maternity alloawance.
Frequently asked questions about maternity allowance and leave as a self-employed person
If you resume work before the end of your maternity leave, please inform Helan. You can easily do this online via My Helan, or send a certificate of return to work to Helan Health Insurance Fund, Boomsesteenweg 5, 2610 Wilrijk.
Once you start working again, you will automatically receive 105 free service vouchers via your social insurance fund. You can use these for example for household help.
If your baby stays in hospital for 7 days after birth (or is admitted within 7 days after birth and continues to stay in hospital beyond this 7-day period), you can request an extension of your maternity leave.
- This extension is a maximum of 24 weeks.
- You must take the extension immediately after the 2 weeks of mandatory maternity rest.
- You must take the extension in blocks of 7 days.
- The extension of your maternity leave ends when your baby leaves the hospital.
How to request the extension?
- Request the extension via the mother’s health insurance fund: provide a hospital certificate stating the duration of the baby’s hospital stay. Make sure the start date on the certificate matches your child’s date of birth.
The maternity allowance is a replacement income. You must declare it in your annual tax return. A withholding tax of 11.11% is deducted from your allowance.
105 free service vouchers
Self-employed mothers receive 105 free service vouchers after the birth of their child. Contact your social insurance fund for the conditions. You may be able to use your service vouchers for cleaning help via Helan Household Help?
More about other leave arrangements
Discover everything about pregnancy
Also check the central file: everything about pregnancy.