Union claims benefits vary by up to 900 euros per municipality

In some municipalities, welfare recipients receive 800 to 900 euros less per month than people living elsewhere who are in a similar situation. This was reported by the FNV trade union, which compared various benefits in more than 70 municipalities in a survey. The union considers the large differences to be unfair and is very concerned about this.

For example, people on welfare have been receiving their benefits from their local authority since 2015. However, major differences have arisen since then because local authorities all apply their own rules, according to FNV. This leads to major inequality in the country, according to the union.

According to the study, Vlissingen is one of the municipalities where people with little money are relatively badly off. For example, people in this municipality are often entitled to a financial contribution if they have an income of up to 110 percent of the social minimum. In two other Zeeland municipalities, Middelburg and Veere, the limit for some schemes is 130 percent, according to the FNV. The union points out that Vlissingen's financial situation is bad and that the municipality is, therefore, under the guardianship of the government.

The union wants the same rules to apply to all municipalities and is calling on the government and the House of Commons to regulate this. "It is unacceptable that your postcode alone determines how much financial aid or care you receive," says vice-chair Kitty Jong of FNV. Furthermore, the union wants the income limit for schemes to be raised to 150 percent, and that special assistance is always a gift and not a loan.

According to FNV, municipalities should receive more money for the schemes. The union, therefore, believes that cutbacks should be scrapped. "It cannot be the case that this Cabinet is placing the care for residents with municipalities, but at the same time is announcing a gigantic cutback for 2026. It is already obvious that these cutbacks will also end up with the most vulnerable in our society," says Jong.

However, the Association of Dutch Municipalities VNG is skeptical about the unions' report and considers the benefits discrepancies highly unlikely.

According to the VNG spokesperson, the association has not yet had time to study the study in more detail. According to him, however, all those entitled to benefits basically receive the same. The basis consists of the social assistance benefit, healthcare allowance, rent allowance and the energy allowance.

But he emphasizes that the local authorities have the political leeway to do more. For example, children of welfare recipients in one municipality receive tickets for the swimming pool in the summer, but not in another. This partly has to do with how a municipality is doing financially, says the spokesperson.

The political affiliation of the local council can also lead to differences, the spokesperson continues. "What the FNV is citing is not a new discovery. It has always been the case that there are differences between municipalities. People vote for their local council, and with a more progressive local council, there will be a different policy than with a more conservative local council. And it also has to do with the financial situation of a municipality."

"I'm not saying they didn't find a difference somewhere," the spokesperson said. "But it seems highly unlikely that there are such large differences across the board."

According to the spokesperson, the VNG shares the concerns about people's livelihoods. "What municipalities are already doing is plastering national policy."