UAE family support has several separate systems
Family support in the UAE is not one universal child-benefit programme. Emirati families can potentially qualify for Nafis employment-linked support, the federal Social Welfare Programme and local emirate-level social assistance. Private-sector employees of any nationality also have statutory labour rights such as maternity and parental leave.
Expatriate families should additionally distinguish mandatory health insurance from optional employer benefits such as school-fee allowances, housing allowances and family-flight benefits.
As of 21 August 2026, the currently published Nafis Child Allowance remains AED 600 per child with the existing four-child cap. The approved reform is scheduled to take effect from September 2026 for new beneficiaries and removes the child-number cap. Existing beneficiaries are subject to phased implementation under the reform.
UAE National Family Support
Target group: Eligible UAE nationals under the applicable Nafis, federal social-welfare and local government programmes
| Benefit / Right | Amount / Duration | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Nafis Child Allowance | AED 600 per month per eligible child | For eligible Emiratis working in the private sector and qualifying sectors. The current programme is capped at four children through August 2026; the approved September 2026 reform removes the cap for the new framework. |
| Federal Social Welfare — Basic Allowance | Calculated under the social-welfare formula | Federal support includes primary-beneficiary, spouse and child allowances. Eligibility depends on nationality, residence, age, employment/retirement, household income and family assets. |
| Federal Social Welfare — Housing Allowance | Calculated according to family circumstances | Supplementary housing support is available to eligible families that satisfy the statutory housing conditions and do not receive equivalent government housing support. |
| Inflation Allowance | Fuel, food, and electricity/water support | Current federal inflation support includes fuel, food and electricity/water allowances. Electricity and water support covers 50% of consumption costs or AED 400 per month, whichever is lower, subject to eligibility. |
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Nafis Child Allowance — current rule and September 2026 reform
The published Nafis Child Allowance currently provides AED 600 per month per child for eligible Emirati beneficiaries. The current detailed Nafis page lists a salary below AED 50,000 and a maximum of four children.
| Period | Child allowance | Number of children | Important point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Through August 2026 | AED 600 / child / month | Maximum 4 under the currently published scheme | Existing Nafis Child Allowance framework. |
| From September 2026 | AED 600 / child / month | No upper limit under the approved reform | New framework takes effect for new beneficiaries, with phased implementation for existing beneficiaries. |
Federal Social Welfare Programme for UAE nationals
The current federal Social Welfare Programme is administered by the Ministry of Community Empowerment (MoCE) under Federal Decree-Law No. 23 of 2024 on Social Support and Empowerment. The programme is not a single fixed monthly "MOCD grant"; eligibility and allowance amounts are determined through the statutory family-income, asset and household criteria.
| Support component | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Basic allowance | Primary beneficiary, spouse and eligible children. |
| Housing allowance | Available to eligible families subject to housing-ownership, family and government-housing conditions. |
| Academic excellence allowance | Additional support for qualifying higher-education students who meet the programme's academic requirements. |
| Seasonal allowance | Additional support on specified special occasions for eligible beneficiaries. |
| Inflation allowance | Temporary support for fuel, food and electricity/water costs under the current Cabinet rules. |
Current federal eligibility includes UAE nationality, permanent residence in the UAE, applicable age/employment or retirement conditions, family-income limits and asset limits.
Current inflation allowance
The current federal inflation allowance is not a blanket utility discount. Cabinet Resolution No. 58 of 2025 establishes support for fuel, food and electricity/water, while the UAE Government currently explains the corresponding eligibility rules and maximum amounts.
| Allowance | Current formula / maximum |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Covers 85% of the increase in fuel prices, subject to the applicable maximum: AED 300, AED 600 or AED 900 per spouse depending on fuel price. |
| Food | Covers 75% of food-price increases, subject to AED 500 for the husband, AED 500 for the wife and AED 250 per child for up to four children. |
| Electricity & Water | 50% of consumption costs or AED 400 per month, whichever is lower, subject to eligibility. |
Maternity, parental and nursing rights for private-sector workers
| Right | Current entitlement |
|---|---|
| Maternity leave | 60 days: 45 days at full wage + 15 days at half wage. |
| Additional medically related leave | Additional unpaid leave can be available in the circumstances specified by Article 30, including certain maternal or child health conditions. |
| Nursing breaks | One or two breaks per day after maternity leave, not exceeding one hour in total, for a period of up to six months from the date of delivery. |
| Parental leave | Five working days paid parental leave for the worker, whether father or mother, continuously or intermittently within six months of birth. |
These are private-sector Labour Law rights under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 and its amendments; they are not an "expat family benefit" limited to expatriates.
Health insurance for expatriate families
Mandatory health insurance and employer-provided family benefits are separate concepts. From 1 January 2025, employers are required to purchase the applicable health-insurance policy for private-sector employees as a residence-permit issuance/renewal requirement under the nationwide basic insurance framework.
| Location | Employee | Dependents |
|---|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi | Employer / sponsor responsibility under the Abu Dhabi system. | Employer/sponsor family obligations apply to the specified dependents under Abu Dhabi rules. |
| Dubai | Employer must provide the required employee health-insurance cover. | The resident sponsor is responsible for insurance for resident dependents. |
| Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah & Fujairah | Employer-funded mandatory basic insurance applies through the nationwide scheme from 1 January 2025. | Dependents can access the applicable package where covered under the policy; exact family responsibility depends on the applicable rules and sponsorship. |
The current nationwide basic package is priced at AED 320 per person per year for the basic scheme, but employers can choose other approved insurance products and the exact family policy can differ.
Expat employer family benefits: what is statutory vs contractual?
| Benefit | Status |
|---|---|
| Maternity leave | Statutory private-sector right |
| Parental leave | Statutory private-sector right |
| Employee health insurance | Mandatory under the applicable health-insurance framework |
| School-fee allowance | Contractual / employer-specific |
| Housing allowance | Contractual / employer-specific |
| Annual family flights | Contractual / employer-specific |
| Child cash allowance | No universal UAE federal expat equivalent to Nafis |
Child maintenance after divorce
Child maintenance should not be presented as a fixed percentage or universal monthly amount. The applicable personal-status law and the competent court determine the obligation and amount according to the relevant legal rules and circumstances.
Under the current federal Personal Status Law, the maintenance of children is a legal obligation, and the law provides a specific limitation on how far back a child-maintenance claim may be made before the judicial claim.
How to apply for family support
🇦🇪 Emirati family
- Check the Nafis eligibility and programme conditions if the beneficiary is employed in the private sector.
- Maintain the required family and employment information in the relevant government system.
- For low-income federal social welfare, apply through the current Ministry of Community Empowerment service.
- Check the relevant local programme in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah where applicable.
🌍 Expat family
- Provide the employer with the required birth and dependent documents for employment-related administration.
- Confirm employee and dependent health-insurance responsibilities for the relevant emirate.
- Review the employment contract for school fees, housing, flights and other family benefits.
- For family residence procedures, check the current ICP/GDRFA document requirements rather than assuming every certificate must always be attested.
Common mistakes to avoid
Frequently Asked Questions
Official primary sources
UAE family-support programmes can change through Cabinet, Nafis and local-government decisions. This page distinguishes the rules that apply in August 2026 from the Nafis reforms scheduled to begin in September 2026. Always check the current programme portal before applying.