Social Benefits for Amsterdam Residents

City of Amsterdam Benefits

The City of Amsterdam offers a variety of financial benefits and contributions to its residents. Many of these benefits are intended to assist low-income individuals in covering essential living expenses such as rent, health insurance, raising children, and childcare. The following is a summary of the many benefit programs. Your unique circumstances determine the amount and availability of each benefit.

Learn more about what qualities for low-income in Amsterdam (here).

• List of Amsterdam Resident Benefits

Allowances

• Allowance for Physically Disabled Individuals (regeling tegemoetkoming meerkosten)
• Social Assistance Benefit (bijstandsuitkering)

Education

• Education & Training Loan (Scholingslening)

Health

• Group Health Insurance (‘Collectieve zorgverzekering’)
• Health Insurance (Zorgverzekering)
• Compensation for Long-term Sickness (‘arbeidsongeschiktheidsverzekering’) 

Housing

• Social Housing Application for Amsterdam
• Rent Reduction (Passende huur)

Legal

• Free Personal Legal Advice (Gratis persoonlijk juridisch advies)

Misc.

• Free Veterinary Treatment (Gratis veterinaire behandeling)

Transportation 

• Travel Costs for Schoolchildren (Reiskostenvergoeding voor scholieren aanvragen)
• Free Public Transport for Elderly (Gratis OV voor ouderen aanvragen)
• Public Transport Allowance for Caregivers. (OV-vergoeding voor mantelzorgers aanvragen)

Youth

• Youth City Pass (Stadspas Lage inkomensuitkering)
• Dutch ID Card (Nederlandse identiteitskaart)
• Free Laptop or Tablet for High School Students
• School children’s Allowance (Scholierenvergoeding aanvragen)

Allowance for Physically Disabled Individuals (regeling tegemoetkoming meerkosten)

Details about the benefit:

• You will receive a maximum of € 91.25 per month. This depends on your situation. These costs are reimbursed

Who qualifies for the benefit:

• You, or are a family member, are chronically ill or disabled.
• You must be 18 years or older.
• You must live in Amsterdam.
• You do not live in a nursing home or other care institution.
• You must have a low income and little wealth.
• You agree to a medical examination by the GGD.

Learn more about the benefit by clicking (here)

Social Assistance Benefit (bijstandsuitkering)

Details about the benefit:

• If you have a little or no income, and also very few savings or possessions of value, you can apply to the City for social assistance benefits (bijstandsuitkering).
• Net amounts per month as of 1 January 2021:
• Single person and single parent: €1,021.67
•  Family: €1,459.52

Who qualifies for the benefit:

• You hold Dutch citizenship, or the citizenship of a country in the European Union, or a valid residence permit.
• You live in Amsterdam.
• You are aged 18 or above.
• You do not receive a state pension (AOW).
• You have little capital (savings or possessions of value).
• Your household has little or no income.
• You are not entitled to any other benefits.
• You are not in prison or in a detention centre.

Learn more about the benefit by clicking (here)

Amsterdam Training Loan Benefits

Education & Training Loan (Scholingslening)

Who qualifies for the benefit:

• You must be registered in Amsterdam.
• You must be 18 years or older.
• Your net income per month may not exceed:
• € 1,473.03 (couple)
• €1,030.42 (single person)
• You must not have any debts. A debt with DUO (study grant) is also a debt.
• You may not receive a student grant.
• The study of your choice should increase your job prospects. The Credit Bank assesses whether this is the case.
• You must follow a recognized training course. For a list of approved courses at the Austrian-over of site .
• You must apply for the loan before you start the training. If you have already started the training, you can apply for a loan for the next academic year.
• You cannot apply for the loan for the training of someone else.

Learn more about the benefit by clicking (here)

Group health insurance (‘Collective zorgverzekering’)

Details about the benefit:

• €3.21 discount per month on the basic insurance
• The cheapest additional insurance for free
• Discount on more expensive additional insurance policies
• You can choose from 3 supplementary insurance policies.

Who qualifies for the benefit:

• You must be 18 years or older
• You must live in Amsterdam
• You must have a low income and little wealth
• You agree to payment by direct debit
• You are now uninsured or you are already insured with Zilveren Kruis
• If you are now insured with another insurer, you can switch to the Zilveren Kruis from mid-November to the end of December

Learn more about the benefit by clicking (here)

Health insurance/collective health insurance (Zorgverzekering/collectieve zorgverzekering)

Details about the benefit:

• €3.21 discount per month on the basic insurance
• The cheapest additional insurance for free
• Discount on more expensive additional insurance policies

Who qualifies for the benefit:

• You must be 18 years or older.
• You must live in Amsterdam.
• You must have a low income and little wealth .
• You agree to payment by direct debit.
• You are now uninsured or you are already insured with Zilveren Kruis.
• If you are now insured with another insurer, you can switch to the Zilveren Kruis from mid-November to the end of December

Learn more about the benefit by clicking (here)

Compensation for Long-term Sickness (‘arbeidsongeschiktheidsverzekering’) 

Details about the benefit:

• Employer-financed. Two types: Basic/Supplementary  (100%–125%) 
• Basic: In case of temporary disability due to a disease, illness or injury accruals are made monthly. 
• The benefit is calculated according to the employee’s income at the time of disability, age and number of years working in the City of Amsterdam.
• Supplementary: In case of temporary disability due to a disease, illness or injury where there will be no accruals for supplementary benefits from any other insurance company, supplementary benefits will be paid out after six months with a maximum payment period of 3 months. The payment period depends on salary and years worked in the city of Amsterdam

Who qualifies for the benefit:

• Citizens of the country 
• Permanent residents
• Resident aliens 
• People who are holders or applicants of a valid residence permit as referred by Article 2 sub b/1 point 3 or c/1 point 4 Refugee (Vluchtelingen) Asylum Seekers Centrum (V.V.A).

Learn more about the benefit by clicking (here)

Social Housing Application for Amsterdam
Woonmatch Waterland Thuiswedstrijd Waterland

Details about the benefit:

Are you looking for a social rental home, apply to be on the waiting list.

Who qualifies for the benefit:

• The qualifying income of your household, not including children, is a maximum of € 40,024. This income limit has been relaxed for families (at least 1 adult and 1 living child under the age of 18). The qualifying income for this group is a maximum of € 44,655.
• An exception applies to urban renewal emergency services, candidates with an indication for a wheelchair-accessible home in Amsterdam, candidates with priority moving from wheelchair-accessible homes in Amsterdam and candidates with a GEB indication or an indication for an assisted living home in Zaanstad.

Learn more about the benefit by clicking (here)

Rent Reduction (Passende huur)

Details about the benefit:

• You rent a social housing with a high rent from a corporation. And you have a low income.
• You can get a one-time rent reduction.

Who qualifies for the benefit:

• In 2020 you have an income below the housing benefit limit. You do not have to make an application yourself. The tax authorities pass on income data to the housing association. This gives tenants with a low income a rent reduction as of 1 July 2021.
• You have an income below the housing benefit limit 6 months before the application. You apply to the housing association yourself. How and when you can apply for this is not yet known. The corporations are working on it.
• Private tenants are not eligible for a rent reduction.

Learn more about the benefit by clicking (here)

Free Personal Legal Advice (Gratis persoonlijk juridisch advies)

Option 1:
Details about the benefit:

Social Story provides free legal advice for people with no or low income. Do you belong to the social minimum and do you have a legal problem or a legal question in a field of law about which we provide free legal advice, call us or fill in the contact form on our website

Who qualifies for the benefit (description in English):

• Seizure of household effects, bank account, allowances or payment by bailiff.
• Sell home contents through a bailiff.
• Eviction or house eviction by the housing association.
• Termination or (penalty) income reduction by the municipality or the UWV.
• Rejection of application for benefits by the municipality or the UWV.
• Rejection of WSNP application by the court.
• Rejection of the amicable debt relief process by the municipality or the credit bank.
• Withholding or settlement from your benefit by the municipality or the UWV.
• Dismissal (imminent) by your employer.
• Withholding or settlement of salary by your employer.
• Summons by a bailiff or by the Public Prosecutor.
• Conviction by default or by contradiction by a judge.
• Driver’s license recovered for a traffic offence.
• Termination or recovery of allowances by the tax authorities.
• Bankruptcy application by a creditor.
• Removal of energy meters from home by the network operator.
• Disconnection of water in the home by the water company.
• Reduction in disability benefit due to UWV re-examination.
• Hostage by the CJIB in the event of inability to pay.
• Out-of-home placement or supervision of a child by the court.

Learn more about the benefit by clicking (here)

Free veterinary treatment (Gratis veterinaire behandeling)

Details about the benefit:

Is your pet sick and do you have a City Pass with a green dot? Then you can be reimbursed for a visit to the vet. Read here about the conditions and how to request the voucher.

Who qualifies for the benefit:

• If you are older than 18 and have a Stadspas with a green dot, you can request a voucher from the animal ambulance.
• This is the form on the website of the die-ren-am-bu-lan ce . You can also request the form by telephone on 020 568 1521 (Monday to Friday between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.). Can’t connect? Please try again later, the phone can be very busy.
• You will receive the voucher by e-mail or by post.
• The voucher is valid for 3 months from the day you requested the voucher.
• With the voucher a first visit to the vet is reimbursed for 100 percent.
• If the visit shows that your pet needs surgery or other medically necessary treatment, the municipality will reimburse half of the costs up to a maximum of € 300 per City Pass year (from 1 September to 31 July). The vet determines whether an intervention is medically necessary.
• You can make use of the scheme for all types of pets.
• Dogs and cats must be microchipped and registered in your name and address. Is your dog or cat not yet chipped? Then the vet will do this for you free of charge.

Learn more about the benefit by clicking (here)

Travel costs for schoolchildren (Reiskostenvergoeding voor scholieren aanvragen)

Details about the benefit:

• You will receive €250 per child for transportation costs.

Who qualifies for the benefit:

• You must live in Amsterdam.
• You must have a low income and little wealth.
• You receive child benefit or foster parent allowance for your child.
• Your child goes to secondary school or does mbo-bbl with an unpaid internship
• Your child is not yet 18 on September 30, 2021.
• Your child must live with you at home.
• Your child travels to school in 3 or more zones by public transport.
• Your application for Travel Expense Reimbursement 2021-2022 must be received by us before June 1, 2022..

Learn more about the benefit by clicking (here)

Free Public Transport for Elderly (Gratis OV voor ouderen aanvragen)

Details about the benefit:

• You get free travel in Amsterdam with public transport from the GVB, Connexxion and EBS.
• You do not travel for free with the night buses and the buses of Keolis.

Who qualifies for the benefit:

• You must live in Amsterdam.
• You have AOW or will receive this within a month.
• You must have a low income and little wealth.
• You have a personal OV chip card.

Learn more about the benefit by clicking (here)

Public Transport Allowance for Caregivers (OV-vergoeding voor mantelzorgers aanvragen)

Details about the benefit:

• Public transport allowance for informal caregivers is extra money for the costs of public transport.
• You will receive € 20 per month on your OV chip card.

Who qualifies for the benefit:

• You are a caregiver.
• You have to travel 3 kilometers or more to your informal care address.
• You must be 18 years or older.
• You have a personal OV chip card.
• You must live in Amsterdam.
• You do not have a state pension.
• You must have a low income and little wealth. Public transport allowance for informal carers is extra money for the costs of public transport.

Learn more about the benefit by clicking (here)

City Pass (Stadspas Lage inkomensuitkering)

Details about the benefit:

• Free entry to 20 museums.
• A free ID card.
• Discounts for theatres, cinemas and sports.

 Who qualifies for the benefit:

• You are 18 years or older.
• You live in Amsterdam.
• You have a low income and limited funds.
• You are not an expat.
• You are not a student.

Learn more about the benefit by clicking (here)

Dutch ID card (Nederlandse identiteitskaart)

Details about the benefit:

• If your child is younger than 12, you as parents must both give permission for the ID card. This only applies if you both have parental authority. If someone else has custody of the child, this person must give permission (authority holder).

Who qualifies for the benefit:

• You must visit a City Office in person. You must make an appointment first.
• You must hold Dutch nationality and be registered as a resident in Amsterdam, or have a postal address that is registered with the City.

Learn more about the benefit by clicking (here)

Free Laptop or Tablet for High School

Details about the benefit:

• One free laptop or tablet per 5 school years per child.
• Once per family € 200,- for internet costs.

Who qualifies for the benefit:

• You must live in Amsterdam.
• You must have a low income and little wealth.
• You receive child benefit or foster parent allowance for your child.
• Your child has not had a laptop or tablet from the municipality for secondary school in the past 4 school years.
• Your child received a free laptop or tablet at primary school last school year: then you can only request a free laptop or tablet for secondary school next school year.
• Your child goes to secondary school or mbo-bol or does mbo-bbl with an unpaid internship.
• Your child is not yet 18 years old.
• Your child must live with you at home.
• Your child must first take a computer course.

Learn more about the benefit by clicking (here)

Schoolchildren’s allowance (Scholierenvergoeding aanvragen)

Details about the benefit:

• €250 per year per child at pre-school.
• € 166,- per year per child in primary school.
• € 325 per year per child in secondary school.
• € 325 per year per child at mbo-bol or mbo-bbl with an unpaid internship.

Who qualifies for the benefit:

• You must be 18 years or older.
• You must live in Amsterdam.
• You must have a low income and little wealth.
• You receive child benefit or foster parent allowance for your child.
• Your child must be between 2 and 18 years old.
• Your child is not yet 18 years old.
• Your child must live with you at home.
• Your child must go to school.
• Your child must attend a pre-school recognized by the municipality.
• Your child does mbo-bol or mbo-bbl with an unpaid internship.

Learn more about the benefit by clicking (here)

Individual income allowance(Individuele inkomenstoeslag)

What is the benefit (description in English):

You can then apply for Individual income allowance

• €85 if you are single or single parent
• € 170 if you live together with your partner. This is 2 times €85,- if you are both entitled.

Who qualifies for the benefit:

• You are registered in Amsterdam.
• You are 21 years or older.
• You do not have a state pension
• You had a low income and little wealth in 2018, 2019 and 2020 and you do not expect your income to increase in the near future.

Click here to apply for the benefit

Option 2:

What is the benefit (description in English):

Living abroad is an exciting and amazing experience but, it can also be challenging. While living in the Netherlands your life circumstance may change: you may get married, have a baby, or be faced with the challenges of a divorce, or death of a loved one. All these personal, emotional experiences carry with them certain legal matters which will require attention, and which may differ from your own home country.

Who qualifies for the benefit (description in English): 

• is probably the best-known service for free legal advice in Amsterdam and across the Netherlands. It is also your first stop for legal aid. The service is very comprehensive and covers work, housing, criminal and civil law, consumer rights, financial guidance, residency and immigration, social benefits, and accident and injury. They also offer a database of template legal letters in Dutch so that you can start the process yourself.

Learn more about the benefit by clicking( here)

Details about the benefit:

Stichting Wetwinkel Amsterdam is a foundation that provides legal advice for those who need it, free of chargeor death of a loved one. All these personal, emotional experiences carry with them certain legal matters which will require attention, and which may differ from your own home country.

Who qualifies for the benefit:

• The general terms and conditions of Stichting Wetwinkel Amsterdam are applicable to all our services. In these terms and conditions, it is stated to which things you agree, when you ask for our legal advice. For example,  when you ask for legal advice, it is provided by our foundation. Our volunteers act on behalf of the foundation, and are not personally liable. Read these terms and conditions carefully, before asking for our legal advice.

Learn more about the benefit by clicking (here)

Group health insurance (‘Collectieve zorgverzekering’)

Details about the benefit:

• €3.21 discount per month on the basic insurance
• The cheapest additional insurance for free
• Discount on more expensive additional insurance policies
• You can choose from 3 supplementary insurance policies.

Who qualifies for the benefit:

• You must be 18 years or older
• You must live in Amsterdam
• You must have a low income and little wealth
• You agree to payment by direct debit
• You are now uninsured or you are already insured with Zilveren Kruis
• If you are now insured with another insurer, you can switch to the Zilveren Kruis from mid-November to the end of December

Learn more about the benefit by clicking (here)