Family support allowance (ASF) in France: amount and conditions

Are you raising your child alone while the other parent contributes nothing, or very little? The CAF can pay you a monthly allowance, whatever your income. A lawyer reviews your rights in 20 minutes on Avocat20min.fr.

This allowance often acts as a safety net when facing unpaid child support. Here are its amount, its conditions and its pitfalls.

Family support allowance: the 2026 amount

The amounts change every 1 April. From 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027, they stand as follows:

The child's situation	Monthly amount per child
Without support from one parent	€200.78
Without support from both parents, or taken in	€267.63
Support set below €200.78	The difference up to €200.78

The family support allowance does not depend on your income. It can therefore be combined with a salary, whatever its level. Finally, it is paid for each child concerned.

The conditions for receiving the ASF

Several conditions must be met. First, you must:

• Live alone, meaning without a spouse, civil partner (PACS) or cohabiting partner.
• Live in France on a stable basis.
• Actually support a child under 20.

Next, the child must be in one of these situations:

• The other parent does not pay the support set, in whole or in part, for at least a month.
• The support set is lower than the ASF amount.
• No support has been set yet, and you take steps to obtain it.
• The child has lost one or both parents.
• Parentage has not been established with one of the parents.

In addition, a person who takes in a child can receive the allowance, even when living as a couple. This covers, for example, grandparents raising a grandchild.

The three forms of the family support allowance

The family support allowance comes in three different forms. The difference matters, because it decides what the CAF will later claim from the other parent.

The non-recoverable ASF

It covers an orphaned child, or a child that one parent did not recognise. It also covers a parent whom the judge finds unable to pay. In that case, the CAF claims nothing from anyone.

The recoverable ASF, paid as an advance

The other parent could pay, but does not. The CAF then pays you the allowance as an advance. Next, the ARIPA turns to that parent to recover the money.

If it recovers more than the allowance, it pays you the surplus. Moreover, the fund can pursue earlier arrears as well.

The top-up ASF

The support set is paid in full, but it remains low. The CAF then tops it up to €200.78 per child. This top-up is paid every quarter. However, a difference of less than €15 is not paid.

Two worked examples

First, take a mother raising two children alone. The father has paid nothing for three months. The CAF then pays her €401.56 a month, that is €200.78 per child. Next, the ARIPA claims that advance back from the father.

Next, take a father raising one child alone. The mother pays the support set in full, but it amounts to only €120. The CAF therefore adds €80.78 a month. It pays this top-up quarterly, that is €242.34 every three months.

Finally, if the support set reaches €190, the gap falls to €10.78. Below the €15 threshold, the CAF then pays no top-up.

No support set yet: four months to act

Do you have no decision on child support yet? The CAF pays you the allowance for four months at most. During that time, you must apply to the family judge (juge aux affaires familiales).

Another option exists for parents who agree with each other. The CAF can make their agreement on the amount enforceable. That title then avoids going to court. For married parents, however, separation goes through a divorce by mutual consent or through the judge.

Living as a couple: the end of the ASF

The family support allowance stops as soon as you live as a couple. Marriage, a PACS and simple cohabitation all have the same effect. The rule applies even if the new partner does not contribute to the child's costs.

So report any change to the CAF without delay. Otherwise, the fund will claim back the sums wrongly received, sometimes over several months. A false statement can also lead to a penalty.

Be aware, though: the end of the allowance does not wipe out the other parent's debt. The ARIPA keeps recovering the child support on your behalf.

How to apply for the allowance

You apply to your fund:

1. Online in your caf.fr account, or on the ARIPA website if support is unpaid.
2. By form Cerfa no. 12038, sent to the CAF.
3. Through the MSA if you belong to the agricultural scheme.

Attach the decision setting the support, if there is one, and proof of the missed payments. Entitlement normally starts the month after the separation. Apply quickly, because back payments are limited.

The ASF and other benefits

The family support allowance can be combined with family allowances and the back-to-school allowance. However, it normally counts as income when calculating the RSA. Our guide to the RSA explains this calculation.

In addition, the CAF can ask an RSA recipient to claim the child support they are owed. The ASF and action against the other parent therefore often go hand in hand.

The most common mistakes

A few oversights cost single parents dearly:

• Applying late: lost months are hard to recover.
• Letting the four months pass without going to the judge: payments stop.
• Not reporting a new partner: the CAF will claim back every overpayment.
• Assuming the ASF is permanent: it ends when the child turns 20 or circumstances change.

When to consult a lawyer

A lawyer applies to the judge to have support set within the four-month period. They also challenge a refusal or a repayment demand from the CAF. Finally, they start enforcement against a parent who does not pay.

A family lawyer answers within 20 minutes. The official rules are on the service-public ASF page. To have a defaulting parent punished, our article on family abandonment presents the criminal route.