Unclaimed benefits & grants in Netherlands
93 real support programmes from national, regional and city bodies — each with the published eligibility rules, an official source and the date we last checked it. 13 of them pay out automatically; the other 80 need an application.
Income support
17 income support programmes15 more income support programmes are on the paid plan, with the amount, the rules, the documents and the steps for each.
- IOAW Benefit (bridge benefit for older unemployed persons)
- IOAZ Benefit (bridge benefit for older former self-employed persons)
- State Pension (AOW)
- Supplementary Income Provision for the Elderly (tops up low AOW to social minimum)
- Survivor's Benefit (benefit for widows/widowers and orphans)
- Individual Income Supplement (annual top-up for long-term benefit recipients)
- Amsterdam City Pass (free and discounted sports, culture and activities for low incomes)
- Rotterdam City Pass (free and discounted leisure activities for low incomes)
- The Hague City Pass (free and discounted activities for low incomes)
- Utrecht City Pass (free and discounted sports, culture and activities for low incomes)
- Subsidised Legal Aid (state-funded lawyer with income-dependent own contribution)
- Food Bank (weekly food parcels for households below the threshold)
- Municipal Debt Assistance
- Delftpas - leisure and school-costs pass for low-income Delft residents
- Municipal informal-carer appreciation (mantelzorgcompliment)
Tax relief
15 tax relief programmes13 more tax relief programmes are on the paid plan, with the amount, the rules, the documents and the steps for each.
- Employment Tax Credit (tax credit for earned income)
- Income-dependent Combination Tax Credit (working parents with a child under 12)
- Elderly Tax Credit (tax credit for people of AOW age)
- Young Disabled Persons' Tax Credit
- Mortgage Interest Deduction (owner-occupied home)
- First-time Buyers' Exemption from Transfer Tax
- Waiver of Municipal Taxes (OZB, waste and sewage levies for low incomes)
- SME Profit Exemption
- Innovation Box (9% corporation tax on innovation profits)
- Co-working Spouse Deduction
- Annuity Premium Deduction
- Deduction of Specific Healthcare Costs
- Charitable Donations Deduction
Family & children
11 family & children programmes9 more family & children programmes are on the paid plan, with the amount, the rules, the documents and the steps for each.
- Childcare Benefit (reimbursement of registered childcare costs)
- Pregnancy and Childbirth Benefit (for self-employed and workers without employer wage payment)
- Paid Parental Leave (9 weeks at 70% of wage in the child's first year)
- Adoption or Foster Care Benefit (6 weeks of paid leave)
- Youth Sports Fund (pays sports club fees and gear for children from low-income families)
- Youth Culture Fund (pays music, dance and art lessons for children from low-income families)
- Leergeld Foundation (laptop, school costs, bicycle and activities for children in poverty)
- LBIO - free collection of and advance on child maintenance
- Youth Care under the Jeugdwet (free for families)
Health & care
10 health & care programmes8 more health & care programmes are on the paid plan, with the amount, the rules, the documents and the steps for each.
- Personal Budget (buy your own care/support under Wlz, Wmo, Jeugdwet or Zvw)
- Allowance for the Chronically Ill and Disabled (annual municipal allowance)
- Aids and Home Adaptations via the Social Support Act (wheelchair, mobility scooter)
- Collective Health Insurance (group discount on health insurance premium)
- Maternity Care (postnatal care at home, covered by basic health insurance)
- Personal Budget for Youth Care (pgb-Jeugdwet)
- Free dental care for children under 18 via the basic health insurance
- Healthcare allowance (zorgtoeslag) for international students who work or have paid internships
Transport
10 transport programmes8 more transport programmes are on the paid plan, with the amount, the rules, the documents and the steps for each.
- NS Off-Peak Discount Subscription (40% discount outside rush hours)
- NS Combined Travel Discount (40% off-peak discount when travelling with a subscription holder)
- Company Bike Scheme (tax-advantaged bicycle via employer)
- Valys - subsidised inter-regional taxi transport for people with a mobility impairment
- Free public transport pass for minimum-income residents (Zuid-Holland pilot)
- Free HTM bus/tram travel for AOW-age Ooievaarspas holders in The Hague
- Free public transport for low-income Amersfoort residents
- OV Companion Card - free travel for a companion of a disabled traveller
Work & employment
7 work & employment programmes5 more work & employment programmes are on the paid plan, with the amount, the rules, the documents and the steps for each.
- Work and Income according to Labour Capacity Benefit (disability benefit after 2 years of illness)
- Disability Benefit for Young Disabled Persons
- WAO Disability Benefit (legacy scheme, existing beneficiaries)
- IOW - income provision for older unemployed workers
- Free Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG) for volunteers
Education & training
7 education & training programmes5 more education & training programmes are on the paid plan, with the amount, the rules, the documents and the steps for each.
- Tuition Fee Loan (DUO loan covering statutory tuition fees)
- School Pupils' Allowance (for 18+ pupils in secondary education from low-income families)
- Lifelong Learning Credit (DUO loan for tuition of adult learners)
- NL Scholarship (formerly Holland Scholarship) for non-EEA students
- Amsterdam Merit Scholarship (University of Amsterdam, non-EU/EEA master's)
Business & self-employment
7 business & self-employment programmes5 more business & self-employment programmes are on the paid plan, with the amount, the rules, the documents and the steps for each.
Energy & utilities
6 energy & utilities programmes4 more energy & utilities programmes are on the paid plan, with the amount, the rules, the documents and the steps for each.
Housing & rent
3 housing & rent programmes1 more housing & rent programmes is on the paid plan, with the amount, the rules, the documents and the steps for each.
Regions covered: Amersfoort · Amsterdam · Delft · Den Haag · Gelderland · Noord-Brabant · Noord-Holland · Rotterdam · Utrecht · Weesp · Zuid-Holland. City and regional schemes are the ones people miss most — if yours isn't listed, the national programmes above still apply.