From household help to the accommodation and care of vulnerable people: more transparent national figures are now available on the use of the Social Support Act (Wmo). Previously, data was mainly available at the municipal level. CBS has recently published a dashboard and an annual report on Wmo usage and expenditures at the national level.

The connection between a wheelchair, stairlift, day care, and regional transport? These are examples of services and products provided through the Wmo. Since 2015, municipalities have the responsibility, authority, and budget to implement this law, which was previously a national government responsibility. Municipalities assess applications to determine eligibility for personalized provisions through the Wmo.

Premiere

Since 2015, CBS has published the Municipal Social Domain Monitor (GMSD) twice a year, commissioned by the Association of Dutch Municipalities (VNG) and the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS). The GMSD includes figures on the use of Wmo provisions per municipality, aiming to facilitate inter-municipal learning and policy refinement. However, there was a need for more comprehensive data.

Wmo Key Figures

Participation in the GMSD is voluntary, and initial response rates were limited. Thanks to efforts by GMSD staff and the VNG, the response has improved since 2017, allowing CBS to publish national figures on the use of Wmo provisions. Yet, a comprehensive view of Wmo usage and expenditures was lacking. Therefore, CBS has now published key figures on national usage and expenditures from 2017 to 2023.

Dashboard

The dashboard includes figures, visualizations, and explanations in the annual report Wmo 2017–2023. Although not all data is new, it is now transparently available at the national level, marking the first time national figures are available for various Wmo provisions. The CBS developed the dashboard and report at the request of the Ministry of VWS.

Tasks and Budgets

André Schoorl, senior policy officer at the Ministry of VWS, states: ‘Municipalities receive financial resources from the national government for Wmo implementation. Increasing numbers of people are applying for Wmo provisions, partly due to aging populations, leading to discussions about whether municipalities receive sufficient funds from the national government to fulfill their Wmo tasks.’

Controlling Wmo Costs

This discussion also occurs in the House of Representatives, especially regarding Wmo cost control. Schoorl notes: ‘National Wmo figures enable better-informed discussions on how municipal tasks relate to their budgets. Previously available figures were mostly municipal, focusing on local trends. Now, national trends and more types of Wmo provisions can be observed, allowing comparisons between municipalities and national trends.’

Map

‘We hope the national figures encourage municipalities to compare their data and learn from each other,’ says Ruud van Herk, also a senior policy officer at the Ministry of VWS. ‘National data users include Ministry of VWS officials who can now engage in more informed discussions with municipalities about Wmo usage and policy development based on data. The national dashboard includes a map with municipal data and national graphs, allowing quick comparisons between municipalities and national trends.’

Living Independently Longer

According to Van Herk, patient organizations, care institutions, research agencies, and others can benefit from the dashboard. ‘Everyone can now track Wmo usage over time, in relation to factors such as the increasing number of people aged 65 and over. What is needed for a sustainable Wmo? Consider the importance of supporting independent living longer to reduce demand for limited intramural care space. Home modifications, like stairlifts, enable longer independent living, increasing demand for Wmo services.’

Total Costs

The national Wmo dashboard highlights three key aspects: total Wmo provision expenditures, number of Wmo users, and costs per user. Project leader Danny van Elswijk from CBS explains: ‘In addition to previously published national client figures, we converted municipal data on certain Wmo provisions to national data. User numbers, total costs, and per-user costs are shown for several categories. For user numbers, seven categories are covered: home support, day care, guidance, household help, accommodation and care, sheltered living plus aids and services. Total cost figures are provided for the same categories, except day care, guidance, and sheltered living. Per-user cost figures are available for household help, accommodation and care, and aids and services.’

Growth Model

The national Wmo dashboard is based on two regular CBS surveys: the GMSD and the Wmo Subscription Rate Monitor. Van Elswijk calls the dashboard a growth model: ‘We plan to update it biannually with new figures from May 2025, allowing for longer-term trend observations. We also aim to derive national data from municipal figures for other Wmo subcategories. The initial dashboard methodology enables us to elevate subcategories like day care, guidance, and sheltered living to a national level. We intend to expand the dashboard further, potentially adding subcategories like housing and transport provisions.’