# Household allowance - Link: https://euemployment.eu/european-commission-household-allowance/ - Published: 2021-03-31T09:51:02+02:00 - Author: Ben Employees of EU institutions can receive a number of other benefits on top of the‘ basic salary’. One of these benefits is the the ‘Household allowance’. This article presents all key information about the [Household allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/household-allowance/). For a full list of possible benefits that come with a job at an EU institution [read this article](https://euemployment.eu/how-much-do-eu-officials-earn/). ### Amount The amount of the [Household allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/household-allowance/) is made up of a fixed part of EUR 192,78 EUR plus an amount equal to 2% of an official’s [basic salary](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/basic-salary/). Below are sample calculations of the [Household allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/household-allowance/) for a number of common staff: * FG III [Household allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/household-allowance/) is **EUR 248.34** = EUR 55.56 (2% of the [basic salary](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/basic-salary/) 2777.78) + 192.78 fixed part * FG IV [Household allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/household-allowance/) is **EUR 263.90** = EUR 71.12 (2% of the [basic salary](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/basic-salary/) 3555.98) + 192.78 fixed part * [AD 5](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/ad-5/) [Household allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/household-allowance/) is **EUR 291.13** = EUR 98.35 (2% of the [basic salary](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/basic-salary/) 4917.29) + 192.78 fixed part ### Staff entitled to the Household allowance There is only **one condition** to become entitled to the [Household allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/household-allowance/)– the employee of an EU institution has to be one of these: * married * in a registered partnership (both opposite and same-sex partnerships are treated equally) recognized by any of the EU member states * with at least one dependent child #### Legal excerpt [STAFF REGULATIONS](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/staff-regulations/) ANNEX VII Remuneration and reimbursement of expenses FAMILY [ALLOWANCES](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/allowances/) **Article 1** 1. The [household allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/household-allowance/) shall be set at a basic amount of EUR 196,44, plus 2 % of an official’s [basic salary](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/basic-salary/). 2. The [household allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/household-allowance/) shall, be granted to: (a) a married [official](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/official/);( b) an [official](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/official/) who is widowed, divorced, legally separated or unmarried and has one or more dependent children within the meaning of Article 2 (2) and (3) below;(c) an [official](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/official/) who is registered as a stable non-marital partner, provided that: (i) the couple produces a legal document recognised as such by a Member State, or any competent authority of a Member State, acknowledging their status as non-marital partners,( ii) neither partner is in a marital relationship or in another non-marital partnership,( iii) the partners are not related in any of the following ways: parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, nephew, niece, son-in-law, daughter-in- law, (iv) the couple has no access to legal marriage in a Member State; a couple shall be considered to have access to legal marriage for the purposes of this point only where the members of the couple meet all the conditions laid down by the legislation of a Member State permitting marriage of such a couple; by special reasoned decision of the appointing authority based on supporting documents, an [official](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/official/) who, while not fulfilling the conditions laid down in (a), (b) and (c), nevertheless actually assumes family responsibilities. 3. If the spouse of an [official](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/official/) is gainfully employed, with an annual income, before deduction of tax, of more than the basic annual salary of an [official](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/official/) in the second [step](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) of [grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) AST 3 weighted at the rate for the country where the spouse carries out his or her occupation, the [official](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/official/) entitled to the [household allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/household-allowance/) shall not receive this allowance save by special decision of the appointing authority. The [official](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/official/) shall, however, be entitled to the allowance where the married couple have one or more dependent children. 4. In cases where, under the foregoing provisions, a husband and wife employed in the service of the Union are both entitled to the [household allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/household-allowance/), this shall be payable only to the person whose [basic salary](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/basic-salary/) is the higher. 5. If the [official](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/official/) is entitled to the [household allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/household-allowance/) only by virtue of paragraph 2 (b) and a person other than the [official](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/official/) has by law or by an order of court or of the competent administrative authority been given custody of all his dependent children within the meaning of Articles 2 (2) and (3) below, the [household allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/household-allowance/) shall be paid to that other person in the name and on behalf of the [official](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/official/). This condition shall be deemed to be fulfilled in the case of dependent children who have reached their majority if such children have their normal residence with the other parent. If, however, the official’s children are in the care of several different persons, the [household allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/household-allowance/) shall be divided among them according to the number of children in their care. If the person eligible by virtue of the foregoing to receive the [household allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/household-allowance/) paid in the official’s name is also eligible to receive this allowance by reason of his or her own status as [official](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/official/) or other member of staff, that person shall receive the higher of the two [allowances](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/allowances/) only. > I wrote this article to make it easier to understand the sometimes complex EU > HR and administrative rules. However, your individual case might have unique angles > due to prior work experience, family situation, or other factors. > **Where to ask > questions?**Rather than leaving a comment below, please bring your questions to > our [**Jobs in EU Institutions Facebook Group**](https://www.facebook.com/groups/jobs.in.eu.institutions). > We have nearly 10,000 members there, including EU ‘insiders’, so you will receive > a much faster and more thorough reply from me and the community.**Looking for > weekly ‘Zero EPSO’ vacancies across EU institutions** **and daily tips?**Follow > the [**Jobs in EU Institutions Facebook Page**](https://www.facebook.com/people/Jobs-in-EU-Institutions/61556372262919/) > and join alongside over 6,000 other followers.Best regards,**Ben** #### Sources: ```has-small-font-size This article is based on the European Commission Staff Regulations and other publicly available information such as EU institutions’ vacancy announcements. ```