It can relieve the budget of many families, and allow children to enjoy a sporting, cultural, artistic activity, or even go to a leisure center.
Leisure centers or sporting and cultural activities are essential for children, but between the financial cost, lack of time and sometimes limited access, not all parents use them. Unfortunately, those who suffer are the children. On this subject, last year, the report annual report on children’s rights revealed that “71% of children whose parents have low incomes are not registered in a club or sports and cultural association, compared to 38% of children whose parents have high incomes”.
To remedy this problem, the Family Allowance Funds (Caf) or the Mutualité sociale agricole (MSA) provide specific assistance to certain families that is still little known to the general public. If you meet the conditions, it allows you to finance your children’s sporting, cultural and artistic activities during the school year, as well as leisure activities without accommodation on Wednesdays and during school holidays. You receive it directly in your bank account, which is quite convenient. This is free time assistance (ATL).
Its amount varies in principle based on household income and the number of dependent children, in other words according to the family quotient. “In addition, for the same situation, the amount may vary from one CAF or MSA to another. can we read on the Public Service website. For example, the Caf de la Sarthe offers its beneficiaries 100 euros if their family quotient on January 31, 2024 is between 0 and 440 euros, 75 euros if it is between 441 and 600 euros, and 50 euros if their quotient is between 601 and 700 euros. Conversely, the Caf de l’Aine grants a maximum of 80 euros to its beneficiaries per calendar year and per child.
To be able to benefit from it, parents must check the following three conditions: have at least one child aged 4 to 15 (the age criterion may vary depending on the department), receive a family benefit from Caf or MSA , and have a family quotient generally equal to or less than 700 euros (again, this is specific to each department). The advantage to note is that you do not have to take any steps to obtain free time assistance. It is the Caf or the MSA which is responsible for verifying that you are eligible. If this is the case, your fund will notify you by mail. Generally, you receive the payment at the start of the school year.