Big Changes July 1

On July 1, a lot of things change that affects the wallets of citizens of the Netherlands. An overview of the main changes. - The minimum wage increases on July 1 from 1469.40 to 1477.80 euro gross per month. This was announced by the Ministry of Social Affairs. As a result the social benefits increase also. - Net welfare for a couple goes up to 1257.35 euro per month. Including holiday allowance this will be about 1323.53 euro per month. For single parents, the welfare will rise to 880.15 euro per month. Including holiday allowance this will be 926.47 euro. For a single person, the welfare will be 628.68 per month. Including holiday allowance this is 661.77 euro. If no costs can be shared with others, single persons and single parents receive a supplement of the municipality of 264.71 euro, including the monthly holiday allowance. - The state pension for married couples rises to monthly 725.77 euro gross per person. In addition there is a 49.81 gross holiday allowance per person. For married couples with one of the partners younger than 65 years, the state pension rise up to 1451.54 euro per month. The additional holiday allowance is 99.62 euro per month. Single old age pensioners receive monthly gross 1061.36 euro per month. In addition there is a monthly holiday at 69.73 euro. - The social security payments for IOAW IOAZ (older, partially disabled unemployed workers and self-employed) and WAJONG (social security payment for young handicapped) will go lightly up on July 1. The same for the ANW, the Surviving Dependants. - Those who live in a housing association home, will face a rent increase of 4 percent. This is for people with an income of at least 33,614 euro. For incomes above 43,000 euro this will be a raise of 4.5 percent and 6.5 percent for higher incomes. - The rates for the use of a smart phone within Europe (roaming) will go down. Vacationers who go to Croatia will immediately benefit from it, since at July 1 Croatia enters the EU. - It is going to be cheaper to call 0800 - and 0900 phone numbers. De paid service numbers must from now on be part of the call bundles of subscriptions for mobile phones. A 0900 number call outside the bundle subscription usually costs between 25 and 35 cents, while only 10 up to 15 cents is paid if it is part of the bundle. Stamps will be 6 cents more expensive. Besides the financial changes, at July 1 also other things change: - The police training mission in Kunduz in the northern of Afghanistan, starts closing on July 1. On November 1, the mission will totally end. The mission in Kunduz will then have lasted almost 2.5 years. There will, however, still remain four F-16s at Mazar-e-Sharif for the protection of the international force. At the end of 2014 they will return. - Municipalities may determine now by themselves how often shops may open on Sunday. Until now, the retailers were allowed to open their doors 12 times a year on Sunday, but in areas where many tourists come it was allowed more often. - The new Leegstandwet (for houses/buildings which are not occupied) will start at July 1. This makes it easier for homeowners who have their property on sale, to temporarily lease the property. The new law makes it also more attractive for vacant offices, hospitals or schools to be reconstructed for living, because the owners can in this way more easily recoup the investment within 10 years. - Curators can settle bankruptcies, with large numbers of creditors, faster. - The possibilities for compulsory treatments in penitentiaries are being extended. - The right to compensation, if the government has taken an unlawful decision, will be more accessible and easier.