In this guide
The Dutch social security system has separate rules for short-term sickness, long-term disability, unemployment and last-resort assistance, each with its own conditions and time limits. This guide walks through each one using the rules that UWV and Rijksoverheid publish.
Many expats arrive from countries with different systems, so getting your situation clear from the start helps. Complete your first 30 days checklist and keep your employment contract documented; see understanding your Dutch employment contract.
Looking for a complete banking comparison? Read Best banking for expats in the Netherlands 2026.
Who is covered by Dutch social security?
The benefits in this guide (sick pay, Ziektewet, WIA and WW) are administered by UWV, except sick pay, which your employer pays. The Netherlands work permit guide for non-EU nationals covers the permit side.
The exception is posted workers: employees sent by a company in another EU country to work temporarily in the Netherlands. Under Article 12 of EU Regulation 883/2004 a posted worker can remain subject to the social security of the sending country for a maximum of 24 months under certain conditions; an A1 declaration is the proof (Belastingdienst). If your employer has arranged this, you are not insured in the Netherlands for that period. Ask your employer which situation applies to you.
Your loonstrook (payslip) shows the deductions that apply to you.
Sick pay and the Ziektewet: the first two years
How it works
If you become ill and cannot work, your employer pays your wages for a maximum of 2 years. You receive at least 70% of your last earned wage; this applies to permanent and temporary contracts (Rijksoverheid). Your contract or collective agreement (cao) may provide more.
If your temporary contract ends while you are ill, your employer does not have to pay wages after the contract ends and reports you sick to UWV, which helps with your re-integration (Rijksoverheid). If you are ill and have no employer, for example as a temp worker without a permanent contract with the agency, you may be able to claim a Ziektewet benefit from UWV; it is at least 70% of your dagloon, up to the maximum dagloon (Rijksoverheid). Self-employed people can insure themselves voluntarily with UWV for the Ziektewet.
The re-integration steps
UWV’s step-by-step plan for long-term sickness (UWV, stappenplan bij ziekte werknemer):
- Day 1: report sick to your employer as soon as possible; the employer usually informs the company doctor (bedrijfsarts) or occupational health service.
- Week 6: conversation with the bedrijfsarts, who sets out what you can and cannot do (probleemanalyse).
- Week 8: at the latest, you and your employer make the plan van aanpak, which sets out what you will do together for re-integration.
- Week 42: the employer reports long-term sickness to UWV (42e-weeksmelding).
- Week 52: you and your employer make the eerstejaarsevaluatie.
- Week 88: you can apply for the WIA.
If your employer has not done enough for your re-integration, the employer has to continue paying your wages for up to 1 year longer, and you do not get a WIA benefit for the time being; if you have not done enough yourself, your benefit may start later or be lower (UWV).
Ziektewet assessment
If you receive a Ziektewet benefit and have no employer, UWV may assess after about 1 year whether you can work again and how much you can earn (UWV, Ziektewet-beoordeling).
WIA: long-term disability after two years
You get a WIA benefit if you are still ill after 2 years (104 weeks) and are 35% or more disabled, meaning you can earn 65% or less of your old wage. If you can still earn more than 65% of your old wage, you get no WIA benefit (UWV).
How UWV assesses you
UWV decides on the basis of one or more conversations (UWV, WIA-beoordeling):
- Conversation about your health with a verzekeringsarts (insurance doctor): your physical and mental complaints, whether they are temporary or permanent, and what they mean for your ability to work.
- Conversation with the arbeidsdeskundige (labour expert), if you can work now or in the future: about your education, experience and possibilities. The labour expert looks for 3 jobs that fit your possibilities, takes the middle wage of the three and compares it with the wage of the work you can no longer do. The difference is your disability percentage.
Example from UWV: your old job pays EUR 3,000 a month; because of illness you can still earn EUR 1,200. You earn EUR 1,800 less, so you are 60% disabled and you receive a WIA benefit.
UWV first checks whether you and your employer did enough for your re-integration, using the re-integration report the employer made.
WGA: partial disability
You get a WGA benefit if you are still ill after 2 years, you probably can work more in the future and you can earn 65% or less of your old wage (UWV). There are three types:
- Loongerelateerde uitkering (wage-related): if you do not work, 75% of your WIA-maandloon for the first 2 months and 70% from the third month. It lasts at least 3 months and at most 2 years, depending on your work history: for the first 10 full calendar years you get 1 month per year; for further years up to and including 2015 also 1 month, and from 2016 0.5 month per year. You get it if you worked at least 26 of the 36 weeks before your first sick day, or if you received WW before you became ill. If you work, your earnings are partly offset.
- Loonaanvullingsuitkering (income top-up): after the wage-related benefit, if you earn the amount the labour expert said you could earn or more, your benefit is 70% of the difference between your average wage before you became ill and what you now earn. If you earn 50% or more but less than 100% of that amount, it is 70% of the difference between your old wage and the amount the labour expert said you could earn.
- Vervolguitkering: if you earn less than 50% of that amount, you receive a continuation benefit that is a percentage of the minimum wage.
If you can earn 20% or less of your old wage and there is a chance that you can earn more in the future, you get a WGA 80-100% benefit: 75% of your WIA-maandloon first, then 70%.
IVA: full and permanent disability
You get an IVA benefit if you can earn 20% or less of your old wage and that will almost certainly stay that way. The IVA benefit is 75% of your WIA-maandloon. If your situation or health does not change, you receive it until your AOW age. You do not have to re-integrate, but you can work next to the benefit if you want to (UWV).
Applying for the WIA
In the 88th week of your illness UWV sends you a letter about the WIA. From then you can apply, and you have 6 weeks; the letter states the latest date. You apply via Mijn UWV, with the date of your first sick day, information about your education and courses, and your bank account number. UWV confirms receipt within 2 weeks. UWV normally decides within 16 weeks, but at busy times it can take longer; you can often get an advance on your benefit (UWV).
WW: unemployment benefit
Who qualifies
- Weeks requirement: in the 36 weeks before you became unemployed you worked at least 26 weeks, regardless of the hours per week. That gives you 3 months of WW.
- Years requirement: in the last 5 years before you became unemployed you worked at least 4 years. Then the benefit lasts longer.
How long WW lasts
WW lasts at least 3 months and at most 2 years (UWV). For the first 10 full calendar years of work history you get 1 month of WW per year. For further years up to and including 2015 it is also 1 month per year; for years from 2016 it is 0.5 month per year. The year in which the WW starts does not count. UWV’s calculator gives an estimate for your case.
What WW pays
UWV calculates your dagloon from your sv-loon (wage for social insurance): your sv-loon divided by the number of working days in the months you received wages. The WW-maandloon is the dagloon times 21.75. The gross WW is 75% of the WW-maandloon for the first 2 months and 70% afterwards; income you earn is offset against the benefit. The maximum dagloon is EUR 309.91; if your dagloon is higher, UWV uses the maximum.
Illustration with a dagloon of EUR 150: WW-maandloon = 150 x 21.75 = EUR 3,262.50. The first 2 months: 75% = EUR 2,446.88 gross. From month 3: 70% = EUR 2,283.75 gross. UWV cannot give an estimate of the net amount, because the withholding differs per situation.
Applying for WW
You apply via Mijn UWV, always, even if you expect to find work quickly. You can apply from 1 week before your first day of unemployment and no later than 1 week after it; if you apply later you probably get a lower benefit or none for a while. Have your DigiD, last payslip, last employment contract, bank account number and the date you became unemployed ready. You receive a decision within 4 weeks of your first day of unemployment (UWV). If you do not yet have a DigiD, the DigiD guide explains the process.
Bijstand: social assistance as a last resort
Bijstand (under the Participatiewet) is paid by your municipality. According to Rijksoverheid you have a right to general bijstand if you:
- live in the Netherlands and are a Dutch national or hold a valid residence permit;
- are 18 or older;
- do not have enough income or assets to live on;
- do not qualify for another benefit or allowance;
- are not in prison.
What it pays (2026)
The bijstandsnorm, including holiday allowance, per month (Rijksoverheid):
| Household type (21 years to AOW age) | 1 January 2026 | 1 July 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Single person | EUR 1,401.50 | EUR 1,419.46 |
| Married or living together | EUR 2,002.13 | EUR 2,027.79 |
If you have income, bijstand tops it up to the applicable norm. Single people receive 70% of the amount for married or joint households. The income and assets of your partner also count.
The means test
The municipality checks your assets against the vermogensgrens. In 2026 the maximum is EUR 8,000 for a single person and EUR 16,000 for a joint household or a single parent. Above that limit, you have no right to bijstand until you have used the excess (Rijksoverheid).
Bijstand and your residence permit
Receiving bijstand can affect your right of residence. The IND says that benefits under the Participation Act can end your right of residence; the municipality informs the IND and the IND assesses whether your residence will end, depending on your type of permit. If you are an EU/EEA or Swiss citizen, it depends on how long you have lived here with a valid residence permit; after 5 years or more you usually have permanent residence, and applying for the benefit will not end it. Applying for a rent, healthcare or childcare allowance does not end your residence (IND, benefits from public funds). Ask the IND or a legal adviser before you apply if you are not sure.
WIA vs WW vs bijstand
| WIA | WW | Bijstand | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trigger | Still ill after 2 years, 35% or more disabled | Job loss, work history requirements | Not enough income or assets |
| Amount | IVA 75%; WGA 75% then 70% of WIA-maandloon | 75% then 70% of WW-maandloon | Bijstandsnorm |
| Duration | IVA until AOW age; WGA depends on type | 3 months to 2 years | While you qualify |
| Administered by | UWV | UWV | Municipality |
Documents you will need
- DigiD, for Mijn UWV
- Bank account number
- For WW: last payslip, last employment contract and the date you became unemployed
- For WIA: date of your first sick day and information about your education and courses
- BSN and valid ID
Getting help
If you disagree with a UWV decision, call UWV first: they can explain the decision, and if you still think something is wrong you can object to it (UWV). For legal questions, the Juridisch Loket gives free legal advice (Rijksoverheid). A legal expenses insurance can help in a dispute: Univé, for example, offers a module “Uitkeringen, Toeslagen & Pensioen” for conflicts about benefits, allowances and pensions (unive.nl, 8 October 2026). Check the conditions before you buy.
Social security and pension
WIA and WW are separate from your pension (AOW and second-pillar pension). The Dutch pension system guide explains what happens to your pension rights if you leave. The health insurance guide covers what your zorgverzekering covers during illness.
Social security rules change regularly. Check uwv.nl and rijksoverheid.nl for current amounts and your own situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Am I entitled to Dutch disability benefits as an expat?
The benefits in this guide (sick pay, Ziektewet, WIA and WW) depend on your work and insurance situation, not on a nationality. A posted worker who remains insured in the sending country under EU Regulation 883/2004 (maximum 24 months, proven by an A1 declaration) is not insured in the Netherlands for that period. If you are unsure which system applies to you, ask your employer and UWV.
How does sick pay and the Ziektewet work for expats?
If you fall ill, your employer continues to pay your wages for a maximum of 2 years, and you receive at least 70% of your last earned wage; this applies to permanent and temporary contracts (Rijksoverheid). If you have no employer, for example as a temp worker without a permanent contract with the agency, you may be able to claim a Ziektewet benefit from UWV, which is at least 70% of your dagloon up to the maximum dagloon. If your temporary contract ends while you are ill, the employer reports you sick to UWV.
What is the WIA and how much does it pay?
The WIA is the benefit for people who are still ill after 2 years (104 weeks). You can get a WIA benefit if you are 35% or more disabled, meaning you can earn 65% or less of your old wage (UWV). The IVA benefit, for people who can earn 20% or less of their old wage and will almost certainly stay that way, is 75% of your WIA-maandloon. The WGA benefit starts as a wage-related benefit of 75% of your WIA-maandloon for the first 2 months and 70% afterwards (UWV).
What is the WW unemployment benefit and who qualifies?
WW is the unemployment benefit from UWV. Under the weeks requirement you must have worked at least 26 of the 36 weeks before you became unemployed; that gives you 3 months of WW. If you also meet the years requirement (at least 4 of the last 5 years worked), the benefit lasts longer, with 1 month per year of work history for the first 10 years. The benefit lasts at most 2 years. The gross WW is 75% of your WW-maandloon for the first 2 months and 70% afterwards (UWV).
What is bijstand and can expats claim it?
Bijstand (Participatiewet) is the last-resort benefit paid by your municipality. You must live in the Netherlands, be a Dutch national or hold a valid residence permit, be 18 or older, have too little income or assets to live on, and not qualify for another benefit (Rijksoverheid). Receiving bijstand can affect your right of residence; the IND decides, depending on your permit and your period of residence.
How do I apply for UWV benefits?
You apply for WW and WIA via Mijn UWV, which needs a DigiD. For WW, apply from 1 week before your first day of unemployment and no later than 1 week after it. For WIA, UWV sends you a letter in the 88th week of illness; you then have 6 weeks to apply, and the letter states the latest date (UWV).