Netherlands - Parenthood
You can read here about benefits for maternity/paternity in the Netherlands. These benefits include:
- Obstetric care (kraamhulp)
- Pregnancy and maternity leave/ adoption and foster care (zwangerschaps- en bevallingsverlof / adoptie en pleegzorg)
- Paternity leave (geboorteverlof)
- Maternity benefit scheme for the self-employed (regeling zelfstandige en zwanger)
- Parental leave (ouderschapsverlof)
In what situation can I claim?
- Obstetric care (Kraamhulp): If you are having a child and live or work legally in the Netherlands, you are insured under the Health Care Insurance Act (Zvw).
- Pregnancy and maternity leave(zwangerschaps- en bevallingsverlof) / Maternity benefit scheme for the self-employed (regeling zelfstandige en zwanger): The benefit is provided for the period you take leave to give birth.
- Adoption and foster care leave (adoptie- en pleegzorgverlof): the benefit is provided for the period a parent takes leave to welcome an adopted or foster child into their family.
- Paternity leave (geboorteverlof): if you are the spouse (male or female), registered or unregistered partner of the mother or the legal father.
- Parental leave (ouderschapsverlof): if you are the parent of a child under 8 or if you are caring for a child under 8 years of age on a structural basis.
What conditions do I need to meet?
- Obstetric care (kraamhulp): you are having a child, you live or work legally in the Netherlands, and you are insured under the Health Care Insurance Act (Zvw).
- Pregnancy and maternity leave (zwangerschaps- en bevallingsverlof): you must be in paid employment and pregnant.
- Maternity benefit scheme for self-employed (regeling zelfstandige en zwanger): you must be self-employed and pregnant.
- Maternity benefit for people receiving an earnings-based benefit: pregnant people receiving an earnings-based benefit from the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV).
- Adoption and foster care leave (adoptie- en pleegzorgverlof): you must be in paid employment or receive an earnings-based benefit from the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV) and welcoming a child into your family through adoption or foster care.
- Paternity leave (geboorteverlof): when your partner has given birth, you are eligible to paternity leave (geboorteverlof). It must be taken within four weeks after birth.
- Parental leave (ouderschapsverlof): you are entitled to parental leave if:
- you are the official parent of your child or children; or an adoptive or foster parent and your child or foster child lives at the same address as you; or you live at the same address as the child and are involved on a sustainable basis in the care and education of the child;
- your child / foster child is less than 8 years old. For more details, see above “In what situation can I claim”.
What am I entitled to and how can I claim?
Obstetric care
Obstetric care (kraamhulp) is covered by the basic package of your care insurance. It lasts from the start of the pregnancy until 6 weeks after delivery.
You can search for an obstetrician in your neighbourhood via the website of the Royal Dutch Organisation of Midwives (KNOV).
Check-ups by a gynaecologist in hospital are reimbursed for women aged 36 or over and women with a medical condition.
Maternity care
Your care insurance will cover the midwifery/obstetric costs and reimburse maternity care costs. If you give birth at home with the help of a midwife, or in hospital for medical reasons, the basic insurance will cover all the costs.
If you wish to deliver in hospital, but have not been advised to do so for medical reasons, you will have to pay a part of the cost yourself. Some supplementary insurance policies cover the costs of hospital birth.
To obtain maternity care, you need to contact a midwifery organisation within five months before birth. Maternity care lasts maximum 10 days, and is covered by the basic package of your care insurance. You must make a co-payment of EUR 4.10 per hour. Ask your care insurer whether you can choose a midwifery organisation yourself.
In addition, the Long Term Care Act (Wlz) covers ordinary check-ups for the child at a baby clinic.
Pregnancy and maternity leave
You have the right to pregnancy leave from 6 to 4 weeks before the day after the due date (in the case of multiple birth: 10-8 weeks). You may determine this date yourself. Pregnancy leave lasts until the day of delivery. After giving birth, you are entitled to at least 10 weeks maternity leave. The pregnancy leave and maternity leave together must be at least 16 weeks (in the case of multiple birth 20 weeks).
In the event of adoption or foster care both parents have the right to 6 weeks’ paid adoption and foster care leave.
You must submit a Pregnancy form to your employer not later than 3 weeks before you intend to take pregnancy leave.
Benefits for pregnancy and maternity
The Employee Insurance Agency (Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringen, UWV) pays 100% of your income during the leave period. The maximum daily pay is EUR 256.54 and it is taxable.
If your daily income is less than the minimum income (sociaal minimum), you may be entitled to a supplement based on the Supplementary Benefits Act (Toeslagenwet).
If you become ill as a result of your pregnancy before the start of your pregnancy leave, you will receive sickness benefit equal to your pay. If you are unable to work after your leave due to your pregnancy or delivery, you will receive the same benefit amount for up to 104 weeks.
Your holiday allowance continues to build up during your pregnancy and maternity leave. Your employer is not allowed to ask you to take up your holidays during your leave.
If you are self-employed, you can get a benefit based on the Maternity Benefit Scheme for the Self-Employed (Regeling Zelfstandige en Zwanger, ZEZ). The amount you receive depends on your income in the year before the benefit starts and cannot exceed the minimum wage (EUR 1,934.40/month).
Paternity leave
Fathers or partners (also same sex partners) are entitled to one week of paternity leave within the first four weeks after birth. After paternity leave, you can take up to five weeks of additional paternity leave (i.e. five times the number of hours that you work per week) within the first six months after birth. You must request additional paternity/ partner leave four weeks in advance.
The first week of paternity leave (geboorteverlof) is paid by the employer. During the additional leave you are entitled to a benefit of 70% of your wage (daily maximum: EUR 179.58 (=70% of maximum daily wage).
If the daily income is less than the minimum income (sociaal minimum), you may be entitled to a supplement based on the Supplementary Benefits Act (Toeslagenwet).
Parental leave
Parental leave exists in the Netherlands for employed parents/main carers of children (also adopted or foster children) under eight. It can partly be taken as paid leave. Per child, each entitled parent can take parental leave of maximum 26 times the number of weekly working hours of which nine weeks will be paid if taken in the first year after childbirth. The amount of the parental benefit is 70% of the wage with a maximum of €179.58 per day. Leave can be taken part-time or fulltime. If the daily income is less than the minimum income (sociaal minimum), you may be entitled to a supplement based on the Supplementary Benefits Act (Toeslagenwet).
Jargon busters
- Health Care Insurance Act (Zvw): Act that makes care insurance mandatory for everyone living and/or working in the Netherlands.
- Long-term Care Act (Wlz): Act introducing a general long-term care insurance covering individually uninsurable health risks for people living or working in the Netherlands with severe, long-term care needs and staying in an institution or at home (frail elderly, and people with severe disabilities, chronic illness or disability that need close all day intensive care or supervision.
- Employee Insurance Agency (UWV): UWV is a Dutch welfare agency that is responsible for implementing the employee insurance schemes (unemployment, illness, incapacity for work).
- Pregnancy, maternity, paternity and parental benefit (WAZO, Work and Care Act): Act which stipulates the schemes for pregnancy- and maternity leave, paternity leave and parental leave.
- Maternity Benefit Scheme for the Self-Employed (ZEZ): 16-week benefit for the self-employed, cannot exceed the minimum wage.
- Pregnancy confirmation: when you apply for pregnancy benefits, you need to submit a 'pregnancy confirmation' from your physician to your employer specifying among others the due date.
- Maternity care/midwifery: the care for mother and child during and after giving birth at home. Maternity care is provided by a midwife.
- Baby clinic: an establishment providing preventive health care for children from 0 to 4 years old.
- Supplementary Benefits Act (Toeslagenwet): a Dutch law that is implemented by UWV. The supplement based on this Act increases the income of benefit recipients to the level of the social minimum.
Forms you may need to fill in
- Obstetric care: You can apply for obstetric care via your health insurance.
- Pregnancy and maternity leave: If you are employed, your employer will apply for the benefits for you through the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV). Contact your employer no later than three weeks before your leave starts.In case you are self-employed or receive an earnings-based benefit, you can apply for maternity benefit (in Dutch) at the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV).
- Adoption and foster care leave: if you are employed, your employer will apply for the benefits for you through the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV). If you receive an earnings-based benefit, you can apply for adoption and foster care benefit at the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV). Application must be done 2 weeks prior to the start of your leave.
- Paternity leave (geboorteverlof): your employer will apply for the benefits for you through the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV).
- Parental leave (ouderschapsverlof): To apply for parental leave, you must write your employer at least two months in advance (in Dutch). Your application should indicate, the number of hours and the working day(s) on which you want to take leave, as well as the start and end date of your parental leave.
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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.
European Commission publication and website:
Who do you need to contact?
- An obstetrician or gynaecologist and possibly your general practitioner;
- Your employer or, if you are self-employed, UWV, to organise payment of your pregnancy benefit or paternity benefit;
- Your care insurer for more information about reimbursement of midwifery, obstetric and maternity care;
- A midwifery organisation to organise postnatal maternity care;
- If you have a question related to your EU rights, please apply for help from the EU.