Amendment of the Participation Act
The Dutch House of Representatives has agreed to amend the Participation Act (Participatiewet). The amendment of the Act will have huge consequences on family members who are living together for the sake of giving or receiving care from each other and who receive social assistance benefits. With the amendment to the law, they also shall be cut back on their social assistance benefits.
The deletion of the exception to the ‘samenwoonkorting’
Normally when you are on welfare support and choose to live with another person, your social assistance benefits ( the ‘samenwoonkorting’) are reduced. As mentioned, the only exception was when you live together as family members to give or receive care from each other. Until now blood relatives in the second degree (brother, sister, grandfather or grandmother) could rely on this exception. The amendment to the law puts an end to this exception. The Supreme Court previously ruled that this exception rule, however, is discriminatory and advised the legislator to broaden or delete the exception. State Secretary Van Ark (Social Affairs and Employment) opted for deletion.
Transition period
Foreseeing the huge financial consequences which come with the amendment of the Act, local municipalities will be allowed to accommodate people if they are faced with major financial problems due to the amendment. Also, the transition period has been extended from one to two years.
If you need expert counsel on your current situation in regards to the Participation Act, don’t hesitate to contact us at 076 596 89 62 / 0611255182 or contact us via our email address info@advocatenkantoorbell.nl.
