Netherlands Social Welfare — Overview

The Dutch welfare system is a hybrid: delivered partly by private parties, but compulsory and regulated by the state. Everyone who lives or works in the Netherlands must take out basic health insurance with a private insurer. Residents are automatically covered by the national insurance schemes (volksverzekeringen), such as the AOW state pension, child benefit and long-term care. Employees are also covered by employee insurance schemes (werknemersverzekeringen), such as WW unemployment benefit. On top of this sit income-related allowances (toeslagen): zorgtoeslag (healthcare benefit), huurtoeslag (rent benefit), kindgebonden budget (child budget) and kinderopvangtoeslag (childcare benefit). These lower the costs for households with lower and middle incomes.

Key points for newcomers:

• Registration (BRP) comes first. If you will live in the Netherlands for more than 4 months, register with your municipality (gemeente) within 5 days of arrival. You then receive a citizen service number (BSN), which you need for work, health insurance, taxes and allowances. You also need a DigiD login for most online government services.
• Health insurance must be taken out within 4 months of arrival, with cover from the day you arrive.
• EU/EEA/Swiss citizens and others have different rules. For non-EU nationals, the type of residence permit affects access to allowances, social assistance and student finance.
• The Netherlands coordinates social security with EU/EEA countries and Switzerland, and has agreements with a number of other countries (see the pension page).

The areas at a glance

• Health — compulsory private basic insurance (zorgverzekering), on average €157 a month in 2026; compulsory deductible €385 (2026); zorgtoeslag for lower incomes.
• Pension — AOW state pension built up at 2% for each insured year, plus occupational pensions; AOW age 67 in 2026 and 2027.
• Unemployment — WW (insurance-based, 3 to 24 months, 75% then 70% of previous wage), then bijstand (means-tested social assistance) from the municipality.
• Family — kinderbijslag of €298.40 to €426.29 per child per quarter (from July 2026), plus kindgebonden budget and kinderopvangtoeslag for lower and middle incomes.
• Tax — three-box income tax (box 1: 35.75% to 49.50% in 2026), plus the expat scheme (30% facility) for some recruited foreign employees.
• Housing — rent rules by segment (social, mid-rent, free sector), huurtoeslag, deposits capped at 2 months' basic rent; serious housing shortage.
• Education — compulsory schooling from 5 to 16 (qualification duty to 18); statutory higher-education tuition €2,694 for 2026–2027; DUO student finance.
• Parental — 16 weeks of maternity leave on full pay (up to a cap), 1 + 5 weeks of partner leave, and 9 weeks of paid parental leave at 70%.

Things to watch

• Most amounts are adjusted every January and many benefits again every July. Figures here are 2026 values; check the official sites before you apply.
• Allowances (toeslagen) are paid in advance and settled later. Report changes in income, household or address quickly, or you may have to pay money back.
• Key pages from the Belastingdienst, SVB, IND and government.nl are available in English.

Official guidance: government.nl: Registering in the BRP, Belastingdienst: immigration checklist, SVB

Dutch Health Insurance (Zorgverzekering)

The Dutch system is a privately run but compulsory insurance model. Under the Health Insurance Act (Zorgverzekeringswet, Zvw), everyone who lives or works in the Netherlands must take out a basic policy (basisverzekering) with a private insurer. The government decides each year what the standard package (basispakket) covers. All insurers offer the same package, must accept every applicant for it, and must charge every policyholder the same premium regardless of age or health. Premiums therefore differ between insurers, but the core cover does not. Children under 18 must also be insured, but pay no premium for the basic package.

Premium, deductible and contribution

• Premium: the average premium for the basic policy in 2026 is about €157 a month (€1,884 a year). Your own premium depends on the insurer and policy.
• Eigen risico (compulsory deductible): €385 in 2026 for adults. You pay the first €385 of most care in the basic package yourself. GP care (huisarts, including the out-of-hours GP post), maternity care and some chronic-care programmes are exempt, and there is no deductible for children. You can choose a voluntary extra deductible of €100 to €500 for a lower premium. The cabinet proposes raising the compulsory deductible to €400 in 2027.
• Income-related contribution (Zvw-bijdrage): a percentage of your income on top of the premium. For employees, the employer pays it.
• Aanvullende verzekering (supplementary cover, e.g. adult dental care or extra physiotherapy) is optional, and insurers may refuse applicants for it.

Healthcare benefit (zorgtoeslag)

Lower-income residents can get zorgtoeslag from the Dienst Toeslagen. In 2026 your income must not exceed €40,857 (€51,142 with a partner), and assets must be below €146,011 (€184,633 with a partner). The maximum for a single person is €129 a month (2026). You need a Dutch health policy and Dutch nationality or a residence permit. You apply once through Mijn toeslagen with DigiD.

The GP as gatekeeper

The GP (huisarts) is the first point of contact. Outside emergencies, you normally need a referral (verwijzing) from your GP before the insurer pays for specialist or hospital care. GP visits are not subject to the deductible. Register with a local GP soon after you arrive, because practices in some areas have waiting lists.

Common pitfalls for newcomers

• Do not miss the 4-month deadline. Cover must start on the day you arrive. If you take out insurance after 4 months, you are not insured for the period in between and are not reimbursed for care you received then. The CAK checks who is uninsured and can impose fines.
• Foreign insurance is not enough if you live or work in the Netherlands. The main exception is if your employer is based abroad and you remain insured in that country (check with the SVB). Students should check their situation on Study in NL.
• You cannot take out Dutch health insurance while your residence permit application is still pending. Once the permit is granted, cover starts from the date it takes effect, with premiums owed retroactively.
• Zorgtoeslag is paid in advance. If your income turns out higher, you will have to repay it.

Official guidance: government.nl: Health insurance, government.nl: Health insurance when you come to live in the Netherlands, Rijksoverheid: Eigen risico 2026, Belastingdienst: Zorgtoeslag

Dutch Pension System (3 pijlers)

The Dutch pension system has three pillars (3 pijlers). Pillar 1 is the AOW state pension, which everyone who lives or works in the Netherlands builds up automatically. Pillar 2 is the occupational pension (aanvullend pensioen) through your employer: about 90% of employees have one. Pillar 3 is individual saving, such as lijfrente (annuity) products.

Pillar 1: AOW (state pension)

• AOW (Algemene Ouderdomswet) is paid by the SVB (Sociale Verzekeringsbank).
• Residence- and work-based, not contribution-based: each year you are insured under the AOW scheme gives you 2% of a full AOW pension. You build it up in the 50 years before your AOW age, so 50 insured years give a full pension.
• AOW age (AOW-leeftijd): 67 in 2026 and 2027, rising to 67 and 3 months from 2028 (fixed up to 2031). It follows life expectancy and is set 5 years in advance.
• Amount: from 1 July 2026, the full gross AOW is €1,662.16 a month for a single person and €1,139.39 a month for each partner of a couple, plus holiday allowance. Amounts are indexed every January and July.
• Since you need 50 years for a full AOW, most immigrants get a partial pension. If you live in the Netherlands and your income at pension age is too low, the SVB may pay an AIO supplement.

Pillar 2: occupational pension

• Usually arranged through your employer and collective labour agreement (cao), with sector, company or professional pension funds or insurers. On average, the employer pays about two-thirds of the premium and the employee one-third.
• Under the Future of Pensions Act (Wet toekomst pensioenen, Wtp), all schemes must switch to a new, contribution-based system by 1 January 2028. Your pension then depends more directly on the premiums paid and investment returns.
• You can see all your accrued AOW and occupational pensions on mijnpensioenoverzicht.nl (with DigiD).

Pillar 3 and working in several countries

• Lijfrente (annuity saving) contributions are deductible in box 1 within an annual limit (jaarruimte), which helps the self-employed and anyone with a pension gap.
• EU coordination: within the EU/EEA and Switzerland, Regulation (EC) 883/2004 applies. Insurance periods in each country count towards that country's conditions, and each country pays a pension for its own periods.
• Bilateral agreements: the Netherlands has social-security agreements with countries outside the EU, including Australia, Canada, China, India, Japan, Morocco, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States (SVB list, May 2026). Coverage differs per agreement, so check the official list.

Common pitfalls for newcomers

• Missing years cost 2% each. Years when you lived abroad before arrival usually do not count. Some newcomers can buy back missing AOW years through voluntary insurance (vrijwillige verzekering) with the SVB, but strict conditions and deadlines apply.
• No cash refund on departure. AOW rights stay with you and are paid from your AOW age, even if you live abroad. The amount and deductions can change depending on where you live, and small AOW pensions cannot be paid out as a lump sum.
• If you leave the Netherlands, you stop building up AOW. You can apply to the SVB for voluntary insurance within 1 year of leaving.

Official guidance: SVB: Building up AOW, SVB: Treaty countries, Rijksoverheid: AOW age 2025–2031, Rijksoverheid: Pension pillars

Dutch Unemployment Benefits and Social Assistance

The Dutch safety net for unemployment has two tiers. The insurance-based WW (Werkloosheidswet) comes first. If you do not qualify for WW or your WW has run out, the means-tested bijstand (Participatiewet) guarantees a minimum income. Different bodies run them: WW is paid by UWV (Employee Insurance Agency), and bijstand by your municipality (gemeente).

WW: insurance-based unemployment benefit

• Eligibility: you are insured as an employee, you lose at least 5 working hours a week, you are immediately available for work, and you worked at least 26 of the 36 weeks before unemployment (the wekeneis). If you resign yourself or are dismissed through your own fault, you generally get no WW.
• Duration: the basic benefit is 3 months. If you also meet the jareneis (enough work in the past years), you get one month per year of work history for the first 10 years, and half a month per year after that. The maximum is 24 months. Some cao's add private top-ups up to 38 months.
• Amount: 75% of your previous wage (WW-maandloon) for the first 2 months, then 70%. Your wage counts up to the maximum daily wage (maximumdagloon), €309.91 gross from 1 July 2026. Your partner's income and your savings do not affect WW.
• Job-search duty (sollicitatieplicht): you must apply for suitable work and report your activities to UWV. After 6 months of WW, every job counts as suitable, even at a lower level or salary.

Bijstand: social assistance (Participatiewet)

If you have no WW, or not enough income, you can apply to your municipality for bijstand.

• Eligibility: you live in the Netherlands, have Dutch nationality or a valid residence permit, are 18 or older, and have no other benefit or enough income or assets to live on. In 2026 assets may not exceed €8,000 for a single person or €16,000 for couples and single parents.
• Amount (net, from 1 July 2026, ages 21 to AOW age): about €1,348 a month for a single person and €1,926 for a couple, plus a reserved holiday allowance. Lower rates apply under 21 and when you share a home with other adults (kostendelersnorm).
• Obligations: bijstand comes with obligations (verplichtingen) set by your municipality, which also checks your income and assets.

Common pitfalls for newcomers

• The expat scheme (30% facility) lowers your benefit. The tax-free allowance is not part of the wage on which employee-insurance premiums are paid, so WW is based on the lower wage.
• Your residence permit matters. A highly skilled migrant (kennismigrant) who loses their job normally has 3 months to find a new employer. If you became unemployed on or after 22 May 2026 and have held the permit for 2 years or more, you get up to 6 months. After that, the IND may withdraw the permit.
• Bijstand is not "independent income" for the IND. It does not count towards income requirements, for example for permanent residence or a partner's permit. Check the IND rules before you apply.

Official guidance: Rijksoverheid: WW eligibility, government.nl: Unemployment, UWV: WW, Rijksoverheid: Bijstand, IND: Highly skilled migrant

Dutch Child and Family Benefits

Dutch family support has two layers: a universal benefit plus income-related top-ups. Kinderbijslag (child benefit) is paid for every child, regardless of income. Kindgebonden budget (child budget) is added for households with lower and middle incomes. A separate kinderopvangtoeslag (childcare benefit) lowers the cost of day care for working parents.

Kinderbijslag (child benefit)

• Paid by the SVB (Sociale Verzekeringsbank) every quarter, after the end of the quarter, until the child turns 18. You must be insured under the Dutch child benefit scheme, which is usually the case if you live or work in the Netherlands.
• Amounts per child per quarter from the 3rd quarter of 2026: €298.40 (age 0–5), €362.35 (age 6–11) and €426.29 (age 12–17). The amounts are indexed in January and July.
• No income test. When your first child is born and registered, the SVB usually sends you a letter, and the claim form is ready in My SVB. If you arrive with children or do not receive a letter, you apply yourself.
• For children aged 16 or 17, payment can stop early, for example if the child leaves school.

Kindgebonden budget (child budget)

• An extra, income-related payment from the Dienst Toeslagen (Belastingdienst). The amount depends on your income, assets, the number of children and their ages. It is higher for children from 12 and from 16, and single parents get an extra amount.
• In 2026 the asset limit is €146,011 without a partner. Make a trial calculation (proefberekening) to see what you can get.
• If you already receive huurtoeslag, zorgtoeslag or kinderopvangtoeslag, you receive kindgebonden budget automatically when you are entitled. Otherwise you apply through Mijn toeslagen. The parent who receives kinderbijslag must apply.

Kinderopvangtoeslag (childcare benefit)

• For parents who work, follow a recognised course of study, a path to work or a compulsory civic integration course, and who use registered childcare (with an LRK number): day care, out-of-school care (BSO) or a childminder (gastouder).
• In 2026, parents with a joint income up to €56,413 get 96% of the maximum hourly rate paid; higher incomes get a lower share. Maximum hourly rates in 2026: €11.23 day care, €9.98 out-of-school care and €8.49 childminder. Anything your provider charges above these rates you pay yourself.
• Reform ahead: the government plans to abolish kinderopvangtoeslag in 2029 and pay an income-independent subsidy directly to childcare providers, so working parents only pay a limited own contribution. Parliament still has to approve the bill.

Common pitfalls for newcomers

• Toeslagen are advances. They are based on your estimated income for the year and settled afterwards. Report changes in income, working hours, childcare hours or household (moving in together, separation, moving house) quickly to avoid large repayments.
• Kinderopvangtoeslag is not automatic. You apply yourself, at the latest within 3 months after childcare starts, or you lose money.
• Kinderbijslag depends on being insured, not on nationality. For toeslagen you must be lawfully resident in the Netherlands, and extra rules can apply to your toeslagpartner.

Official guidance: SVB: Child benefit amounts, Belastingdienst: Changes to toeslagen in 2026, Rijksoverheid: New childcare funding, government.nl: Child benefit

Dutch Tax System and the Expat Scheme (30% facility)

Dutch income tax (inkomstenbelasting) uses a three-box system. Income is split by type: box 1 (work, business, pensions and your own home), box 2 (substantial shareholdings) and box 3 (savings and investments). Each box has its own rates. When you come to live in the Netherlands, you become a resident taxpayer and file a Dutch income tax return, usually online with DigiD after you receive a letter from the Belastingdienst. Recruited foreign employees may also qualify for the expat scheme (expatregeling, also called the 30% facility).

Box 1: work and home (progressive)

• 2026 rates if you are below AOW age: 35.75% up to €38,883, 37.56% from €38,883 to €78,426, and 49.50% above €78,426.
• The first-bracket rate includes national insurance contributions (premie volksverzekeringen, 27.65% in 2026) for the AOW, Anw and long-term care. Tax credits (heffingskortingen), such as the general tax credit and the labour tax credit (arbeidskorting), then lower the tax you pay.
• Mortgage interest on your own home is deductible, but in 2026 the deduction is limited to the 37.56% rate.

Box 2 and box 3

• Box 2 (shareholdings of 5% or more, aanmerkelijk belang): 24.5% up to €68,843 and 31% above that (2026).
• Box 3 (savings, shares, a second home): taxed on a deemed return (fictief rendement) at 36% (2026). The tax-free allowance (heffingsvrij vermogen) is €59,357 per person (€118,714 with a fiscal partner) in 2026. You can ask for your actual return to be used instead if it was lower. A new box 3 system based on actual returns should start in 2028.

Expat scheme (30% facility)

• What it is: your employer may pay up to 30% of your salary tax-free as an allowance for the extra costs of working abroad (extraterritorial costs), for up to 5 years. In 2026 the maximum tax-free allowance is €78,600.
• Main conditions: you are recruited from abroad; for more than 16 of the 24 months before your first working day, you lived more than 150 km from the Dutch border; and your salary, not counting the allowance, is above €48,013 (2026), or €36,497 if you are under 30 with a Dutch master's degree or equivalent.
• Changes: the rate stays 30% in 2025 and 2026 and drops to 27% from 2027, with a higher salary standard for people who started using the scheme from 2025. People who used it in 2023 keep 30%. The partial non-resident option for boxes 2 and 3 ended from the 2025 tax return, except as a transition: people who already used the scheme before 2024 can keep this option up to their 2026 return.

Common pitfalls for newcomers

• The expat scheme is not automatic. You and your employer apply together, and the Belastingdienst decides within 8 weeks. If your salary falls below the standard in a year, the scheme lapses from 1 January of that year.
• Foreign income and assets still count. As a resident you must report foreign income and assets too. Tax treaties and Dutch rules help prevent double taxation, so check the treaty with your country.
• Arrival year: special rules apply to the return for the year you moved to the Netherlands, which you can file online.

Official guidance: Belastingdienst: Expat scheme (30% facility), Belastingdienst: Box 1 rates, Rijksoverheid: Types of income tax, government.nl: Income tax

Dutch Housing: Rules, Rent Benefit and the Housing Shortage

Dutch rental housing has three segments: social rent (sociale huur), mid-rent (middenhuur) and the free sector (vrije sector). Rent caps depend on a points system (woningwaarderingsstelsel) that scores the quality of the home. The housing shortage (woningtekort) is the biggest obstacle for newcomers. The government supports tenants with huurtoeslag (rent benefit) and rent rules, and owner-occupiers with the mortgage interest deduction.

Social rent and mid-rent

• Social rent: a home is social rent if the basic rent (kale huur) at the start of a contract in 2026 is no more than €932.93 a month. Most social homes belong to housing associations (woningcorporaties). You register with them (your municipality can tell you which ones), and waiting times differ by municipality.
• Income limits at housing associations (2026): most homes go to households with incomes up to €51,537 (single) or €56,910 (more than one person). Associations may allocate a limited share to higher incomes. Private landlords are not bound by these income limits.
• Mid-rent: since 1 July 2024, the Affordable Rent Act (Wet betaalbare huur) also caps rents for homes with 144 to 186 points. For contracts starting in 2026, mid-rent means a basic rent between €932.93 and €1,228.07 a month.

Free sector and tenant protection

• Homes with 187 points or more, or a starting rent above €1,228.07 (2026), are free-sector homes with no maximum rent. Annual increases are capped until 1 May 2029: 4.4% for 2026.
• Deposit (waarborgsom): for contracts since 1 July 2023, at most 2 months' basic rent. The landlord must repay it within 14 days after the tenancy ends.
• Tenants have rent protection (huurbescherming): the landlord cannot end the contract without a legal reason. Temporary contracts of 2 years or less are, since 1 July 2024, only possible in exceptional cases. The Huurcommissie (rent tribunal) can check whether your rent is too high.

Huurtoeslag (rent benefit)

• Paid by the Dienst Toeslagen for a self-contained home. Since 2026 there is no maximum rent, and only the basic rent counts (service costs no longer count).
• Your assets may not exceed €38,479 per resident (€76,958 for partners) on 1 January 2026. The income limit depends on your rent, age and household, so make a trial calculation (proefberekening).

Buying a home

• Transfer tax (overdrachtsbelasting) is 2% for a home you live in yourself. Buyers aged 18 to 34 pay nothing once (startersvrijstelling) on a home worth up to €555,000 (2026).
• Mortgage interest deduction (hypotheekrenteaftrek): limited to the 37.56% rate in 2026.

Common pitfalls for newcomers

• Make sure you can register at the address. Your BRP registration gives you your BSN, so check before signing that the landlord allows registration.
• Watch for illegal costs. Key money (sleutelgeld) is not allowed, you pay no fee for drawing up the contract, and you pay no agency fee if the agent works for the landlord. The Huurcommissie can lower an excessive rent in a social or mid-rent home.
• With the expat scheme, your taxable income looks lower, which can affect how much a bank will lend. Ask a mortgage adviser.

Official guidance: Rijksoverheid: Social, mid-rent and free sector, Rijksoverheid: Deposit, Huurcommissie, Belastingdienst: Huurtoeslag, government.nl: Housing

Dutch Education and Student Finance

Dutch education combines publicly funded schools with student finance (studiefinanciering) for higher and vocational education, run by DUO (Education Executive Agency). Under the loan system (leenstelsel) of 2015 to 2023, higher-education students got no basic grant; since September 2023 they can again receive a basic grant (basisbeurs).

Compulsory schooling

• Leerplicht (compulsory education) applies to all children living in the Netherlands from age 5 to 16, whatever their nationality. It starts on the first day of the month after the child turns 5, and lasts until the end of the school year in which the child turns 16. Most children start primary school (basisschool) at 4.
• Kwalificatieplicht (qualification duty): young people aged 16 and 17 without a basic qualification (startkwalificatie: a havo, vwo or mbo level 2 diploma) must stay in full-time education, or combine work and study (bbl), until 18.
• The path runs from primary school (to about age 12) to secondary school (vmbo, havo or vwo) and then to mbo, hbo or university. The school's recommendation (schooladvies) in the last year of primary school weighs heavily on the secondary track.
• Public schools charge no tuition. Schools may ask for a voluntary parental contribution (vrijwillige ouderbijdrage).

Higher education fees

• Statutory tuition fee (wettelijk collegegeld): €2,694 for 2026–2027. It applies at a first funded bachelor's or master's to students with Dutch, EU/EEA, Swiss or Surinamese nationality and to some residence-permit holders (for example permit types II to V or an EU Blue Card).
• Other students pay an institutional fee (instellingscollegegeld) set by the university or hogeschool, which is usually higher. Check the fee with your institution.

Studiefinanciering (student finance)

Available for full-time students at mbo, hbo or university who start before 30. Main parts (hbo and university, maximum per month, from September 2026):

• Basisbeurs (basic grant): €324.52 if you live away from home, €130.21 if you live with your parents.
• Aanvullende beurs (supplementary grant): up to €491.08, depending on your parents' income.
• Rentedragende lening (loan): up to €315.17, plus a tuition-fee loan (collegegeldkrediet). Loans are repaid with interest over 15 or 35 years, depending on the rules that apply to you.
• Student travel product (studentenreisproduct) for public transport.

In hbo and university, the grants are performance grants (prestatiebeurs): they become a gift if you graduate within 10 years, otherwise you repay them. Nationality rules: you need Dutch nationality or a residence permit type II, III, IV or V. Some type I permits qualify, and EU/EEA, Swiss and UK citizens (or their family members) may qualify under separate conditions.

Common pitfalls for newcomers

• Enrol school-age children quickly. Compulsory education applies to every child living in the Netherlands, including newcomers, and parents must register them at a school.
• Foreign diplomas: you can have them compared with Dutch qualifications through the IDW (Informatiecentrum Diplomawaardering).
• Studying in English does not exempt you from the civic integration (inburgering) requirements for permanent residence or citizenship.

Official guidance: DUO: Student finance amounts, DUO: Tuition fees, Rijksoverheid: Compulsory education, IDW, government.nl: Student finance

Dutch Maternity, Partner and Parental Leave

Dutch leave policy has moved from a mainly maternity-based model towards leave for both parents. Partner leave was extended under the WIEG act (Wet invoering extra geboorteverlof), and 9 weeks of parental leave are now partly paid. Benefits for employees are paid by UWV (Employee Insurance Agency), usually through the employer.

Zwangerschapsverlof and bevallingsverlof (maternity leave)

• At least 16 weeks in total: pregnancy leave of 6 weeks before the day after the due date (you must start at the latest 4 weeks before) and at least 10 weeks of birth leave after the birth. Pregnancy leave you do not take is added to the birth leave.
• Benefit: 100% of your daily wage, up to the maximum daily wage (€309.91 gross from 1 July 2026).
• Twins or more: 10 weeks of pregnancy leave and at least 10 weeks of birth leave, 20 weeks in total.
• Part of the birth leave (after the first 6 weeks) can be spread over up to 30 weeks. If your baby stays in hospital for more than a week, birth leave can be extended by up to 10 weeks. Self-employed women may get a ZEZ benefit from UWV.

Geboorteverlof and aanvullend geboorteverlof (partner leave)

• The partner gets once their weekly working hours of birth leave (geboorteverlof), to be taken within 4 weeks of the birth. The employer pays the full wage.
• After that, the partner can take up to 5 weeks of additional birth leave (5 times the weekly hours) within 6 months of the birth. UWV pays 70% of the daily wage, up to 70% of the maximum daily wage.

Ouderschapsverlof (parental leave)

• Each parent who is an employee is entitled to 26 times their weekly working hours per child, to be taken until the child turns 8. Your employer cannot refuse it, but may ask you to schedule it differently for serious business reasons.
• 9 of these 26 weeks are paid if taken in the child's first year: UWV pays 70% of your daily wage, up to 70% of the maximum daily wage. The rest is unpaid unless your cao or employer adds pay.

Kraamzorg (maternity home care)

A typical Dutch arrangement: after the birth, a maternity carer (kraamverzorgende) visits your home, usually up to day 8 after the birth, to look after mother and baby. The basic health insurance covers 24 to 80 hours, depending on your needs. In 2026 you pay €5.70 per hour for kraamzorg at home. No deductible applies.

Common pitfalls for newcomers

• Register for kraamzorg early. Many maternity-care organisations accept registrations from week 12 of pregnancy. Check which ones your insurer has contracts with, as this can affect reimbursement.
• The expat scheme (30% facility) lowers your benefit. The tax-free allowance is not part of the wage on which employee-insurance premiums are paid, so leave benefits are based on the lower wage.
• If your residence permit depends on your job or salary (for example as a highly skilled migrant), check how leave and reduced hours affect your income before you plan long or part-time leave.

Official guidance: government.nl: Pregnancy and childbirth, government.nl: Parental leave for partners, Rijksoverheid: Paid parental leave, Rijksoverheid: Partner leave, Zorginstituut: Kraamzorg