Benefits are there to financially support people. For example, in paying part of the health insurance or rent. Yet, 1 in 10 people entitled to a benefit do not apply for it. For healthcare allowance, it was about a maximum amount of € 1,483 for the entire year in 2024. If people had a benefit partner, it was a maximum of € 2,833. Therefore, the Benefits Service is sending a letter to 200,000 households to inform them of their right to healthcare allowance.

This year, the Benefits Service is expanding this action. As a result of receiving the letter, over 37% (over 55,000 households) applied for healthcare allowance last year. On average, it was € 1,456 per application.

Sandra Palmen, Secretary of State for Recovery and Benefits: “6 million households receive benefits every month. But there are also people who do not apply for benefits. That is why we remind people at multiple times throughout the year to apply for benefits and what they need to pay attention to. Most final income data from last year is known to us. So for the people who receive a letter, there is a good chance that they can apply for healthcare allowance for that year. The letter explains how people can check if they indeed have a right to it and how they can apply for the benefit.”

Those who have not received a letter may still be entitled to healthcare allowance. This applies, among others, to people for whom no final income has yet been established, for example, because they are not employed but earn their income as self-employed individuals. With or without a letter, people may also be entitled to other benefits, such as housing allowance or child-related budget. Therefore, the Benefits Service urges everyone to check if they are still entitled to benefits for 2024. This can be done by making a trial calculation via toeslagen.nl/kaniktoeslagkrijgen. The deadline for applying for healthcare allowance for 2024 is September 1. This also applies to housing allowance and child-related budget.

Note: those who apply for healthcare allowance, housing allowance, or child-related budget for 2024, are also applying for it for 2025. Therefore, it is important that people check for themselves if they are also entitled to benefits in 2025 by making a trial calculation for 2025 or checking the conditions via toeslagen.nl/kaniktoeslagkrijgen. For childcare allowance, it works differently. You must apply for the allowance within 3 months after your child first goes to childcare.

Those who need help can go to a help point in the neighborhood. Such as a benefits service point or a library. Or they can ask their question by phone via the free number 0800 – 0543. On toeslagen.nl/hulp, all help options are listed, including in the neighborhood.