Dutch Toeslagen for Expats: How to Claim 2026

If you pay for health insurance, rent or childcare in the Netherlands, check whether you qualify for an allowance (toeslag). The information is mostly on Dutch-language government pages, and nobody applies on your behalf: you have to request zorgtoeslag, huurtoeslag and kinderopvangtoeslag yourself.

The amounts can matter. In 2026 zorgtoeslag is up to €129 a month for a single person, and kinderopvangtoeslag pays 96% of costs up to the maximum hourly rate for working parents with a joint income up to €56,412. This guide explains each allowance, the conditions for internationals and how to apply.

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What Are Toeslagen?

Toeslagen are income-dependent allowances from the Dutch government, handled by Dienst Toeslagen. Its information and the Mijn toeslagen portal are on belastingdienst.nl (toeslagen.nl). They help with essential costs: health insurance, rent, childcare and raising children.

There are four toeslagen:

1. Zorgtoeslag — healthcare allowance (towards your health insurance)
2. Huurtoeslag — rent allowance (towards your rent)
3. Kinderopvangtoeslag — childcare allowance (towards registered childcare costs)
4. Kindgebonden budget — an income-dependent contribution towards the costs of children under 18

Each has its own conditions. You apply for and manage all of them in Mijn toeslagen.

Prerequisite: Getting a DigiD

To apply online you need a DigiD, the Dutch digital login for government services. Mijn toeslagen works with DigiD (or eIDAS if you live abroad).

How to get DigiD:

1. Apply at digid.nl with your BSN (citizen service number), the address where you are registered with your municipality, and your mobile phone
2. DigiD sends a letter with an activation code to your registered address
3. Activate your DigiD with that code, via the DigiD app or the website, within 21 days; otherwise you have to apply again

You must be registered at a Dutch address in the BRP (population register) to receive the letter. If you live abroad, there is a separate route.

If you find out late that you could have had an allowance, you can still apply afterwards: zorgtoeslag, huurtoeslag and kindgebonden budget for 2025 until 31 December 2026 (see the deadlines below).

1. Zorgtoeslag (Healthcare Allowance)

What It Pays

Zorgtoeslag helps you pay for your Dutch basisverzekering (mandatory basic health insurance). The 2026 maximum amounts are:

Source: Dienst Toeslagen, “Hoeveel zorgtoeslag krijg ik?” (amounts per month, rounded).

You get the maximum up to a toetsingsinkomen of €29,500 (single); above that the allowance goes down as your income rises. The amount does not depend on the premium you pay your insurer.

Eligibility

You (and any toeslagpartner) must meet these conditions:

• You are 18 or older
• You have a Dutch health insurance policy (zorgverzekering)
• Your toetsingsinkomen is not above €40,857, or €51,142 together with a toeslagpartner
• Your assets on 1 January 2026 are not above €146,011, or €184,633 together with a toeslagpartner
• You are lawfully resident in the Netherlands (see below)

Calculate your exact amount with the proefberekening (trial calculation) on toeslagen.nl.

Who Qualifies as an Expat?

Nationality as such does not matter, but your residence status does. You and your partner must both be lawfully in the Netherlands:

• EU, EEA or Swiss nationals need a valid residence status that gives a right to toeslagen; Dienst Toeslagen gets this from the municipality.
• Other nationalities need a valid residence permit that gives a right to toeslagen. If your partner is still waiting for a decision on a permit application, or awaits the outcome of an objection or appeal in the Netherlands, you can still get the allowance.

If your partner does not have Dutch health insurance, you get half of the zorgtoeslag you would otherwise get together; your partner’s income still counts.

2. Huurtoeslag (Rent Allowance)

What It Pays

Huurtoeslag is a contribution towards the rent of a self-contained home (zelfstandige woonruimte: your own lockable front door, kitchen, toilet and, since 1 March 2024, shower or bath). There is no fixed table: the amount depends on your rent, income, age and household. The Dienst Toeslagen proefberekening shows whether you qualify and how much.

Eligibility Conditions

1. Rent: From 2026 there is no maximum rent any more to qualify. The benefit is calculated on a rent of at most €932.93 (€498.20 for young people under 21), and from 2026 only the bare rent (kale huur) counts, not service costs (Dienst Toeslagen, “Huurtoeslag verandert vanaf 2026”).

2. Income: The income of you, your toeslagpartner and other residents must not be too high. How high it may be depends on your rent, your age and your household, so Dienst Toeslagen gives no single figure.

3. Assets on 1 January 2026: at most €38,479 per resident, or €76,958 for partners together. Savings and investments count.

4. Registration and residence: you live in the Netherlands, you and the other residents are registered with the municipality at that address, you have a rental agreement and can show with bank statements that you pay the rent. You, your toeslagpartner and residents aged 18 or over must have Dutch nationality or be lawfully in the Netherlands.

Important for Expats

Your income must not be too high, but a higher rent no longer rules you out automatically. If your income is modest, for example in social housing (corporatiewoning) or on a single lower income, check before assuming you don’t qualify. A room without its own front door, kitchen and toilet usually does not qualify, because it is not self-contained. You cannot get huurtoeslag if you live abroad.

3. Kinderopvangtoeslag (Childcare Allowance)

What It Pays

Kinderopvangtoeslag covers a percentage of your childcare costs, up to a maximum hourly rate set by the government, for at most 230 hours per child per month.

2026 maximum hourly rates:

• Dagopvang (daycare): €11.23
• Buitenschoolse opvang/BSO (after-school care): €9.98
• Gastouderopvang (registered childminder): €8.49

If your childcare provider charges more than these rates, you pay the difference yourself.

The percentage depends on the household’s toetsingsinkomen and on whether it is the first or a later child. In 2026 working parents with a joint income up to €56,412 get 96%; at the highest incomes it is 36.5% for the first child and 68.2% for the next child (Rijksoverheid table 2026). There is no income above which you get nothing.

Eligibility

• You and your toeslagpartner both work, or one of you who does not work follows a study, a compulsory integration course (inburgeringscursus) at a certified institution or a pathway to work (traject naar werk), or is in another situation Dienst Toeslagen lists, such as unemployment (see Partner Situations below)
• The childcare provider is registered in the LRK (Landelijk Register Kinderopvang) and has an LRK number
• You and your child live at the same address and are both registered there with the municipality
• You pay part of the costs yourself and can prove payment with bank statements
• You and your partner are lawfully in the Netherlands (same residence rules as for zorgtoeslag)

The LRK Requirement

Without an LRK number you cannot apply. Informal childcare, such as a friend or a family member who is not a registered childminder, does not qualify. Check the provider in the LRK before you sign a contract.

How Much Can You Get?

Per child, the allowance is roughly: hours (at most 230 a month) × the lower of the provider’s hourly rate and the maximum hourly rate × your percentage. The proefberekening gives the exact amount. Apply on time and keep your income estimate current to avoid repayments later.

4. Kindgebonden Budget

What It Is

Kindgebonden budget is a contribution towards the costs of children under 18. It comes on top of kinderbijslag (child benefit from the SVB) and depends on your income.

Amounts

Dienst Toeslagen gives no fixed amount: it depends on your income, your family situation and the number of children. You get more as a single parent without a toeslagpartner, and more for children from age 12 and from age 16. The proefberekening shows your amount.

Conditions: you have one or more children under 18, you receive kinderbijslag from the SVB (for children aged 16 or 17 this is not always required; the parent with kinderbijslag in their name is entitled), your income is not too high and your assets on 1 January 2026 are not above €146,011 (or €184,633 with a toeslagpartner). Residence rules are similar to those for zorgtoeslag.

Applying: you apply in Mijn toeslagen. If you already receive kinderopvangtoeslag, huurtoeslag or zorgtoeslag, you don’t need to apply: Dienst Toeslagen contacts you if you are entitled.

Kinderbijslag vs Kindgebonden Budget

Note the distinction:

• Kinderbijslag: child benefit from the SVB (Sociale Verzekeringsbank), paid per child after the end of each quarter. The amount depends on the child’s age: from 1 July 2026 it is €298.40 per quarter for children aged 0 to 5, €362.35 for ages 6 to 11 and €426.29 for ages 12 to 17 (SVB). You apply via svb.nl (Mijn SVB).
• Kindgebonden budget: income-dependent, paid monthly by Dienst Toeslagen, in principle only if you receive kinderbijslag.

How to Apply: Step-by-Step via Mijn Toeslagen

Step 1: Prepare

Before starting, have ready:

• Your DigiD
• Your BSN and your partner’s BSN
• Your income estimate for the current year (use your employment contract or last year’s tax return as a guide)
• Rental contract (for huurtoeslag)
• Childcare contract and the provider’s LRK number (for kinderopvangtoeslag)

Step 2: Check What You Might Get

Make a proefberekening on toeslagen.nl. It shows whether you qualify and roughly how much.

Step 3: Log In to Mijn Toeslagen

Go to toeslagen.nl and log in with DigiD.

Step 4: Submit Application

Complete the application for each toeslag. You will input:

• Estimated annual income (for the whole year, even if you apply for part of it)
• Household composition
• Rental details (for huurtoeslag)
• Childcare details (for kinderopvangtoeslag)

Dienst Toeslagen pays monthly advances (voorschotten) based on your estimated income. Once your actual income is known, usually from your final tax assessment, it makes a definitive calculation.

Step 5: Report Changes

If your income or household changes during the year, update it in Mijn toeslagen or the Toeslagen app. For huurtoeslag Dienst Toeslagen asks you to report changes within 4 weeks. Too much allowance because of a wrong estimate has to be paid back later.

Changes to report include: a pay rise or bonus, a new job, starting as a freelancer (ZZP) and someone moving in with you.

Deadlines

• Zorgtoeslag, huurtoeslag and kindgebonden budget: you can still apply for 2025 until 31 December 2026. For 2024 this was possible until 2 September 2025. If you or your toeslagpartner has an extension for the income tax return, you can apply until that extension ends.
• Kinderopvangtoeslag: apply within 3 months after you become entitled. Dienst Toeslagen’s example: if childcare starts on 1 May, apply by 31 July at the latest; if you only apply in October, you get the allowance from 1 July and lose May and June. You can apply as soon as you have signed the childcare contract, once your child has been born and has a BSN.

Common Mistakes and Traps

1. Not Applying at All

You have to apply yourself. If you think you may qualify, make a proefberekening and apply within the deadlines above.

2. Underestimating Income

Receiving too much advance toeslag because you estimated your income too low leads to repayment demands. When in doubt, estimate slightly higher.

3. Not Updating When Your Household Changes

Your toeslagpartner’s income and assets count for your allowance. A spouse or registered partner is always your toeslagpartner. Someone else registered at your address is your toeslagpartner only in specific situations, for example if you have a child together, a notarial cohabitation contract, a house you own together, or a pension partnership. A subtenant or an au pair with an au pair contract is not. For huurtoeslag, other residents (medebewoners) also count. Report it when someone moves in or out.

4. Unregistered Childcare Provider

Kinderopvangtoeslag requires an LRK-registered provider. Verify registration before you commit to a daycare arrangement.

5. Huurtoeslag With a High Rent

Until 2025 a rent above the limit ruled you out, apart from some special situations. From 2026 that is no longer the case, but the benefit is calculated on a maximum rent of €932.93, so a higher rent does not raise your benefit.

Health Insurance and Toeslagen

Zorgtoeslag depends on your income, not on your premium: a cheaper policy does not lower your zorgtoeslag, and a more expensive one does not raise it. A higher voluntary deductible (vrijwillig eigen risico) lowers your premium, but you pay more yourself if you need care.

Compare basisverzekering policies on premium and policy type, and use the Dienst Toeslagen proefberekening to see what you get. Our Health Insurance Wizard helps you narrow the choice.

Toeslag Quick Reference (2026)

Useful Resources

• Mijn Toeslagen portal
• DigiD registration
• Dienst Toeslagen: Zorgtoeslag information
• Dienst Toeslagen: Huurtoeslag information
• Dienst Toeslagen: Kinderopvangtoeslag
• SVB: Kinderbijslag
• LRK: Find registered childcare
• Health Insurance Wizard

Toeslagen work best as part of a broader financial safety net. If you are building your financial foundations in the Netherlands, including an emergency fund for unexpected costs such as a toeslag repayment, the emergency fund guide for expats is a useful next read.

After the Year Ends: The Definitive Calculation

Dienst Toeslagen pays advances based on your estimated income. Once all data, such as your income from the final tax assessment, is in, it sends a definitive calculation (definitieve berekening). If nobody in your household files a tax return, it comes between the end of June and 31 December of the following year; if someone does, within 6 months after everyone who files has received their tax assessment. With foreign income it comes within 8 weeks after a separate decision on that income.

How Repayments Arise

If your actual income turns out higher than estimated, for example because of a promotion, bonus, freelance work or a partner working more hours, you received too much advance toeslag and have to pay back the difference (terugvordering). Other common reasons are someone moving in, your child using fewer hours of childcare, or assets above the limit.

Reducing the Risk

The simplest way to avoid a large repayment is to estimate your income slightly higher than you expect. You receive slightly less during the year, but the risk of paying back is smaller.

You can update your income estimate at any time in Mijn toeslagen. If you get a bonus, a pay rise or extra work, update it straight away.

If You Cannot Pay It Back at Once

Don’t ignore a repayment demand. You can pay it back in instalments over at most 24 months without having to call; you choose the number of months yourself. You pay interest on a payment arrangement (4.3% since 1 January 2026). If 24 months is not feasible because you would have too little left to live on, you can ask for a personal payment arrangement (persoonlijke betalingsregeling).

Special Situations for Expats

Arriving Mid-Year

You can apply once you are registered with the municipality and meet the conditions, for zorgtoeslag also once you have taken out Dutch health insurance. Huurtoeslag starts on the 1st of the month; if you are not yet registered on the 1st, it starts the following month. When you apply, give your expected income for the whole year.

For kinderopvangtoeslag, apply within 3 months after the childcare starts. If your child starts in September and you apply in November, you are still on time; if you apply later than 3 months, you lose the first months.

Leaving the Netherlands

Report your move in Mijn toeslagen. You cannot get huurtoeslag if you live abroad. Zorgtoeslag, kinderopvangtoeslag and kindgebonden budget are sometimes still possible if you or your partner receive income or a benefit from the Netherlands, under extra conditions. Allowance you were no longer entitled to has to be paid back.

Partner Situations

Your toeslagpartner’s income counts towards your toetsingsinkomen. If your partner moves in or out, update Mijn toeslagen. Partners become toeslagpartners from the 1st of the month after the situation changes.

For kinderopvangtoeslag, both you and your toeslagpartner need to work. If your partner stops working, report it. In some situations, such as unemployment, a study, a pathway to work or a compulsory integration course, you can still get kinderopvangtoeslag; Dienst Toeslagen lists the conditions per situation.

DigiD Issues

All online toeslagen management requires a working DigiD. Without access you cannot update your income estimate or report changes online. See our DigiD guide for applying, activating and recovering access. If you live abroad and cannot get a DigiD, the BelastingTelefoon Buitenland helps.

2027: What Is Already Known

• Kinderopvangtoeslag: the maximum hourly rates for 2027 are set at €11.60 for daycare, €10.31 for after-school care and €8.77 for childminders (Besluit van 3 oktober 2026, Staatsblad 2026, 308).
• Zorgtoeslag and kindgebonden budget: the asset limits for 2027 are lower, €119,122 without and €158,748 with a toeslagpartner on 1 January 2027 (Dienst Toeslagen, news of 15 October 2026).
• Zorgtoeslag amount: the health ministry expects the maximum for a single person to rise to €140 a month in 2027. That is an expectation, not yet a set amount.

Toeslagen and the 30% Ruling

Does the tax-free allowance of the 30% ruling (Expat Scheme) help you qualify? Rarely for zorgtoeslag, sometimes for other toeslagen.

Your toetsingsinkomen is the verzamelinkomen from your final tax assessment, or your taxable wage if you don’t file a return. With the 30% ruling the tax-free allowance is not part of your taxable salary, so it does not count.

But the ruling has a salary condition that works the other way. To qualify, your annual salary not including the tax-free allowance must be more than €48,013 in 2026, or more than €36,497 if you are under 30 with a Dutch academic master’s degree or an equivalent foreign degree. Scientific researchers at designated institutions and doctors in specialist training have no salary condition.

What that means for zorgtoeslag in 2026:

• Standard salary norm: your taxable salary alone is above €48,013, which is above the single income limit of €40,857. Without a toeslagpartner, zorgtoeslag is then usually out of reach.
• Under 30 with a master’s degree: a taxable salary just above €36,497 can still be under the single limit, so a small zorgtoeslag is possible.
• With a toeslagpartner the joint limit of €51,142 applies to your combined income, and huurtoeslag and kinderopvangtoeslag have no single income limit.

In every case the proefberekening on toeslagen.nl shows what you would get.

When the 30% ruling ends, your taxable salary goes up. If you receive toeslagen, update your income estimate in Mijn toeslagen at that moment; otherwise the advances stay based on the lower income and you will have to pay back the difference after the definitive calculation.

The 30% ruling guide explains the ruling’s broader tax implications, and the 30% ruling calculator lets you model the effect on your net income.

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