Paying for social security

Social security is help you get from the government in the Netherlands if you have no income or need extra support. You pay tax and contributions through your wages for this. 

Taxes and social security  

In the Netherlands, there are rules and insurance schemes that ensure you still receive money or healthcare if times are hard, for example: 

• if you are sick and cannot work (sickness benefit) 
• if you do not have enough money to take care of your children (child benefit) 
• if you lose your job (unemployment benefit) 
• if you retire (AOW) 

We call this social security. Everyone in the Netherlands contributes by paying taxes and contributions. This is how we ensure no one is left without any income or healthcare. 

Right to social security 

If you come to the Netherlands to work, you are also covered by Dutch social security. This means you contribute by paying taxes and contributions, and you also have the right to support. For example, you have the right to AOW if you live and work in the Netherlands long enough, or to a benefit if you are sick or unemployed. 

How do you contribute to this?  

If you are employed, your employer has to pay social security contributions. Some of these will be deducted from your wages. If you are not employed or you are self-employed, you usually arrange to pay them yourself by filing a tax return.