Healthcare benefit

Healthcare benefit is money you get from the government to help you pay for your health insurance. 

What is healthcare benefit? 

In the Netherlands, health insurance is compulsory. If you do not earn much, you can get healthcare benefit. It makes health insurance easier to afford. You can claim healthcare benefit if:  

• you are aged 18 or older,  
• you have Dutch health insurance, 
• you do not earn too much, and 
• you do not have too much in the way of savings or other assets.  

You can claim this allowance if you satisfy these conditions. 

Claiming healthcare benefit 

You can claim healthcare benefit online at toeslagen.nl. Log in with your DigiD. Enter your details, such as your income and savings, and submit your claim. If you satisfy the requirements, you will receive healthcare benefit every month. You do not have to claim this benefit again every year. 

Reporting changes 

If there is a change in your situation, such as your income or living situation, you must go to toeslagen.nl and report this within four weeks. This is important. If you do not do this, you might have to pay money back later. 

Receiving healthcare benefit 

The amount of healthcare benefit you receive depends on how much you earn, how much you have in the way of savings and whether you have a partner. On toeslagen.nl you can make a trial calculation to see roughly how much you will get. Healthcare benefit is usually paid into your bank account on or around the 20th of each month. If this is the first time you have claimed healthcare benefit, you are likely to receive the money the following month. 

Asking for help 

If you find claiming healthcare benefit difficult, you can get help. Call Belastingdienst’s Tax Information Line on 0800-0543, visit the library or go to an allowances service point. You can also visit a Work in NL information point, where you can get help in various languages.