Dutch benefits agency hid years of disability calculation errors, reports show
The UWV benefits agency has reportedly made critical errors in disability benefit calculations for years, far beyond what it publicly admitted. Internal reports flagged miscalculations as early as 2020, but the agency failed to act, leaving thousands with incorrect or no benefits, according to an investigation by EenVandaag and AD.
The mistakes affect how the UWV determines disability percentages for WIA (disability benefits). Errors range from a few euros to 1,184.89 euros per month. A 2021 audit found 31 percent of cases involved miscalculations of the “maatmanloon,” (reference wage) a key factor in determining benefits. Some reports showed error rates as high as 60 percent.
Even small mistakes had major consequences. If a claimant was deemed less than 35 percent disabled, they received no benefits. Others missed out on allowances meant for severe disabilities.
Warnings ignored
Despite repeated internal warnings, UWV leadership had reportedly failed to act. Reports highlighting these errors were shared with executives but were ignored. “The findings are worse than we suspected,” said Jean Louis van Os of Advocaten Collectief Tilburg to EenVandaag and AD. “This is the foundation of the benefits system, and it’s completely flawed.”
Legal experts say the UWV only fixed indexation errors while ignoring deeper problems. Social security advisor Maurice Zieleman found multiple calculation mistakes in a client’s case, yet the UWV only acknowledged one. “This system is too complex and opaque for claimants to fight back,” he said.
Social Affairs Minister Eddy van Hijum admitted more errors could surface but warned that fixing them all could overwhelm the UWV. GroenLinks-PvdA lawmaker Mariëtte Patijn called the situation “deeply concerning.”
