You can read here about benefits in the Netherlands if you become unemployed.

In what situation can I claim?

 If you become unemployed in the Netherlands, you can be entitled to unemployment benefit under the Unemployment Insurance Act (WW, Werkloosheidswet).

What conditions do I need to meet?

 The conditions for a WW benefit include the following:

• you are insured against unemployment. This is the case if you are employed and have not yet reached the statutory retirement age (AOW age), or if you have a voluntary insurance;
• you have lost at least 5 work hours a week and the associated pay (for employees who are employed for less than 10 hours per week, the condition is to have lost at least half of the working hours);
• you are available for work on the Dutch labour market;
• you must avoid becoming or remaining unemployed by, for example, sending enough applications for suitable work;
• you have worked for at least 26 weeks in the 36 weeks before you became unemployed (if you also worked in another Member State in this period, this period of work will be taken into account when determining your right to unemployment benefit);
• you have become unemployed through no fault of your own.

You are not entitled to an unemployment benefit if you:

• you have become unemployed through your own fault.
• are receiving a benefit due to illness or invalidity;
• have reached the statutory retirement age;
• stay or live outside the Netherlands (there are exceptions);
• are not staying in the Netherlands legitimately;
• are in prison or evade prison or escape from prison.

What am I entitled to and how can I claim?

 You receive 75% of your last pay (up to a maximum of EUR 256.54 per day during the first 2 months and 70% of the last pay earned thereafter).

The duration of the unemployment benefit is 3 months. The duration can be extended if you undertook at least 208 hours of paid work for at least 4 out of the 5 years before the year you became unemployed.

For the first 10 years, each year in employment gives entitlement to one month of WW benefit receipt. If there are years of employment  before the year 2016, From the 11^th year, each year in employment before 2016 gives entitlement to one month of WW-benefit, and each year in employment from 2016 onwards gives entitlement to 1/2 month of WW-benefit. The maximum duration of benefit receipt is 24 months.

To claim unemployment benefit, you must submit an application to UWV within one week after becoming unemployed, and register as a jobseeker with UWV.

If your benefit is less than the minimum income (sociaal minimum), you might be entitled to a supplement based on the Supplementary Benefits Act (Toeslagenwet). The entitlement and amount depend on your income and, if applicable, your partners income.

If you do not meet the conditions to receive WW-benefit, you may qualify for social assistance benefit. The entitlement and amount depend on your and your household’s financial situation.

Jargon busters

• WW benefit: unemployment benefit under the Unemployment Insurance Act (Werkloosheidswet, WW) which provides a temporary benefit to involuntarily unemployed employees with sufficient working history and who are available for work.
• Social assistance benefit: (bijstand, as foreseen in the Participatiewet) guarantees a minimum income for everyone living legally in the Netherlands and with insufficient means to maintain themselves.
• The Employee Insurance Agency (Uitvoeringsinstituut werknemersverzekeringen, UWV) is a Dutch welfare agency that is responsible for implementing the employee insurance schemes (unemployment, illness, incapacity for work).
• Supplementary Benefits Act (Toeslagenwet): a Dutch law that is implemented by UWV. The law increases the income of benefit recipients up to the level of the minimum income (sociaal minimum).

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.

• Working in the Netherlands.

European Commission publication and website:

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

Who do you need to contact?

 You may apply for a benefit via:

• https://www.werk.nl/werkzoekenden/werkmap/
• information by phone: +31 88 8989294 (local rate - calling costs depend on your telephone provider) or +31 09009294 (EUR 0.04 per minute).
• information by phone from abroad: +31 88 898 20 01
• The rate depends on your telecom provider.

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