You can read here about the provisions and benefits for long-term care in the Netherlands.

In what situation can I claim?

 If you are living or working in the Netherlands and thus pay tax in the Netherlands, you are insured for long-term care through the Long-term Care Act (Wet langdurige zorg, Wlz).

Long-term care is introduced as a general insurance for people with severe, long-term care needs and stay in an institution, or at home such as the frail elderly and people with severe disabilities, chronic illness or disability that need close all day intensive care or supervision. Long-term care can be provided in an institution or at home.

What conditions do I need to meet?

Anyone who comes from abroad to settle in the Netherlands and consequently becomes eligible for entitlements under the Wlz is subject to a waiting time equal to one month for every year that they were uninsured under the Wlz with a maximum of twelve months. However, insurance periods in EU, EEA countries, Switzerland and the UK* are recognised in the Netherlands and will be counted as well.

The waiting time applies to inpatient care to which the insured person is entitled at the start of the insurance, or to inpatient care required by the health condition in the first six months after settling in the Netherlands. This does not mean that these individuals will be unable to obtain care, but means that no claim for the associated costs can be made under the Wlz.

You live or work in the Netherlands and are insured under the Wlz. To receive Wlz care, you need an indication from the Care Needs Assessment Centre (Centrum Indicatiestelling Zorg, CIZ).

* UK: Each case needs to be assessed individually to determine whether a person falls within the scope of Art 30 of the Withdrawal Agreement, and so the EU Coordination Regulations apply, or whether they fall within the scope of situations described in Art 32 of the Withdrawal Agreement and/or come under domestic legislation and the Protocol on Social Security Coordination attached to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

What am I entitled to and how can I claim?

 Risks covered under the Wlz:

• a stay in a care facility: long-term stay, or being placed in a nursing home or designated, sheltered accommodation for people with mental disabilities;
• personal care: assistance with washing, dressing, using the toilet, and eating and drinking;
• care that increases self-reliance: assistance in structuring the day, gaining greater control over one’s life, and learning to perform household duties;
• nursing care: medical assistance, e.g. tending to wounds or administering injections;
• treatment under the Wlz: a medical, paramedical or behavioural treatment which helps with the recovery or improvement of a specific condition;
• transport to and from day programmes and day treatment: for people whose medical condition prevents them from travelling to the day programme or day treatment independently.

The CIZ decides whether someone has the right to Wlz care and how much. This is called a Wlz indication. The decision is valid for a maximum of 5 years.

Care providers and the Youth Care Offices (Bureaus Jeugdzorg) determine the care for children up to the age of 18 who have psychiatric/psychological problems.

You can arrange Wlz care in two ways:

• contracted care: care by providers contracted by the regional care administration office, either in a residential setting or at home;
• personal care budget (Persoonsgebonden budget, pgb): you arrange/contract the care yourself (for personal care, nursing, assistance or short-term stays).

Insured parties can choose to use their pgb for care from informal care providers, such as a neighbour or friend, or from formal care providers, such as specialised agencies.

Your regional care administration office will give you a policy document and insurance number which you can use as proof of insurance.

Jargon busters

• Long-term Care Act (Wlz): collective health insurance mandatory in the Netherlands for non-individually-insurable health cost risks.
• Regional care administration office: administration offices that work on behalf of the health insurance companies within your region of residence.
• Personal Care Budget (pgb): a budget within the Wlz to buy care independently.
• Care Needs Assessment Centre (Centrum Indicatiestelling Zorg, CIZ): determines whether you are entitled to Wlz care, the Wlz indication.
• Wlz institutions: institutions where you live (temporarily) and receive care.

Forms you may need to fill in

 Application for Wlz care

Know your rights

 The links below set out your rights. They are not European Commission sites and do not represent the view of the European Commission.

• Apply for Wlz care yourself
• More about the Wlz
• Personal budget (pgb)
• CIZ (Care Needs Assessment Centre).

European Commission publication and website:

• Provision of social security: your rights as an EU citizen abroad.

Who do you need to contact?

•  If you are seeking advice or help with your EU rights, please apply for help from the EU.