2026 long-term care budget set at €41.1 billion with expected surplus
Dutch citizens relying on long-term care can breathe easier as the 2026 budget is provisionally sufficient. With €41.1 billion allocated, the government aims to cover all necessary care, including new preventive measures to help people stay at home longer.
| Key Data Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Total 2026 budget | €41.1 billion |
| Expected surplus (Method 1) | €133 million |
| Expected surplus (Method 2) | €301 million |
| Redistribution funds | Additional €390 million |
| New sub-framework allocation | €96 million |
| Budget allocation change | From 2 to 3 sub-frameworks under Cross-domain Collaboration Act |
| Issuing authority | Dutch Healthcare Authority (NZa) |
| Report date | 26 February 2026 |
The Dutch Healthcare Authority (NZa) oversees the financial framework for long-term care in the Netherlands, ensuring that budgets align with the needs of citizens. It advises the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport on funding sufficiency and policy adjustments to maintain accessible and sustainable care.
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Budget for long-term care in 2026 provisionally sufficient
The Dutch Healthcare Authority (NZa) expects that the budget for long-term care in 2026 will be sufficient to reimburse all necessary care. In the February letter , the NZa reports to the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport whether the available budget for the Long-term Care Act is sufficient for the coming year. For 2026, the total framework for long-term care amounts to €41.1 billion. To predict how much budget is needed, two different methods have been used. Depending on the method used, there is expected to be a surplus of €133 million or €301 million. In 2026, an additional €390 million in redistribution funds will also be available.
Uncertain demand for care
In 2025, we saw the number of indications in the nursing and care sector rise again, but growth was less strong than in previous years. Due to the early timing of the forecast, it is still uncertain how demand for care will actually develop in 2026 and what this means for the available budget. At present, RIVM is conducting research into these developments in nursing and care. The available budget includes, among other things, cost price studies in disability care and long-term mental health care and the study into the normative housing component (nhc) . These have led to adjusted policy rules from 2026 onwards.
New budget allocation
With the introduction of the Cross-domain Collaboration Act, the allocation of the long-term care budget will change from 2026. This act strengthens collaboration between care domains and enables care offices to invest in, among other things, preventive measures. This will allow people to live at home for longer and prevent heavier and/or more expensive care. The budget will therefore be divided into 3 sub-frameworks instead of 2 from 2026. €96 million has been allocated to the new sub-framework. Care offices have not reported any imminent overspending to the NZa. Based on this, we expect this sub-framework to be sufficient.