For effective language education, a structural amount of up to € 17.4 million will be made available starting in 2027. The Secretary of State insists that municipalities enforce the law and also ensure compliance if people do not meet the effort obligation.
Secretary of State Jurgen Nobel: “Work and language are the best ways to participate. Anyone receiving social assistance who does not sufficiently master the Dutch language must make an effort to learn the language. If this does not happen, the municipality should reduce the benefits. This is not a choice. In return, municipalities will receive more resources and more room to successfully apply the language requirement.”
It is essential that municipalities enforce and uphold the language requirement when people do not comply with the obligations. The Secretary of State will continue to discuss the implementation with municipalities.
Improvements for Implementation
Resources will be made available for municipalities to better implement the language requirement. In 2027, this will amount to € 3.7 million and will increase to
€ 17.4 million structurally. This will be used to enable municipalities to organize effective language education. Learning the language should also be able to be combined with internships or work. The cabinet is also committed to reducing the administrative burdens and implementation costs for municipalities.
Reduction of Benefits for Non-compliance
The enforcement of the language requirement will be organized in a way that aligns well with daily practice. If a municipality finds that someone does not sufficiently master the Dutch language and does not make an effort, benefits can be reduced. Willfully refusing to learn the language will lead to a lower benefit. For 1 month, the benefit will be reduced by 25 percent. This gives people the chance to make an effort during that month. If someone shows no improvement, the benefit can be reduced again. In cases of repeated non-compliance, this reduction can rise to 100 percent of the benefit.
