Welfare recipients back to pre-Covid levels

For the first time, the number of people receiving social assistance benefits is about the same as before the coronavirus crisis. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reported this based on figures for the end of September. Then there were slightly fewer welfare recipients than on the last day of March 2020, just after the first lockdown started.

According to the researchers, 419,000 people received a general social assistance benefit at the end of September. That is a decrease of 5,500 compared to a year earlier and a drop of over 2,000 compared to March last year. The decrease compared to September last year can be seen in all age groups.

These figures only include people up to the state pension age. Social assistance-related benefits, like the TOZO coronavirus support scheme for self-employed, were not taken into account.