Coronavirus crisis pushing more Dutch into money troubles, debts

The number of Netherlands residents seeking help for money problems increased significantly due to the coronavirus crisis, according to the Dutch debt aid organization NSR. Since January 2020, over 100 thousand people asked for help, compared to 54 thousand in the same period last year, the NSR reported on Tuesday.

The coronavirus crisis left many Netherlands residents in trouble. More than a fifth of Dutch households are currently having problems paying the bills. In large cities like Amsterdam, Utrecht and The Hague, even a third of households are currently struggling. And this is expected to increase, according to NSR. "Most of the regulations that apply to corona will end in September or October, and we will see that in the number of requests for help," NSR director Martin Suithoff said.

He called it very important to get help before your financial affairs get out of control. "Anyone can be faced with financial problems. Dismissal, relationship problems, and illness are, for example, situations in which someone has to deal with money worries. These worries can quickly add up to debt. We want to prevent this," Suithoff said.

The NSR works with municipalities, debt counselors, energy providers, banks telecom providers, insurers and bailiffs to find appropriate solutions for people in debt. The organization set up an anonymous test on this site, where people can assess their financial health and be referred to help if necessary.