Fewer divorced women receiving alimony, data show
The number of divorced women in the Netherlands receiving spousal support has fallen steadily over the past decade, while the amounts paid have also declined, according to new figures published Monday by Statistics Netherlands (CBS).
In 2023, only 13 percent of recently divorced women received partner alimony from their former spouses, down from 18 percent in 2011. CBS defines “recently divorced” as individuals who divorced within the past five years and who have not remarried or begun cohabiting again. The same condition applies to the ex-partner providing support.
The CBS analysis examined incomes of individuals divorced from either a registered partner or spouse between 2011 and 2023. The data focuses solely on spousal support—also called partner alimony—and does not include figures on child support.
The share of men paying partner alimony has also dropped significantly, from 22.4 percent in 2011 to 14.1 percent in 2023. Meanwhile, women receiving alimony decreased from 18.4 percent in 2011 to 12.5 percent last year. These 2023 figures are still provisional, CBS noted.
There are far fewer cases of men receiving alimony and women paying it. In 2023, only about 1.6 percent of women paid alimony, and 0.8 percent of men received it. These numbers have remained relatively stable since 2011, when 1.3 percent of women were payers and 0.7 percent of men were recipients.
Not only are fewer people involved in partner alimony arrangements, but the amounts being paid have also declined after adjusting for inflation. Women who received partner alimony in 2023 collected a median of 693 euros per month. In 2011, that amount stood at 841 euros per month. For male payers, the median monthly payment dropped from 669 euros in 2011 to 581 euros in 2023.
Among women who paid alimony, the median amount in 2023 was 220 euros per month, compared to 288 euros in 2011. Men who received support collected a median of 283 euros per month in 2023, down from 336 euros in 2011.
CBS uses the median—rather than the average—to reflect typical payments more accurately. This method places the amounts in a range, with half of recipients receiving less and half receiving more.
Spousal support now plays a reduced role in household incomes. Among women who received alimony in 2023, the payments accounted for 15 percent of gross household income. In 2011, that figure was 22 percent. CBS notes this indicates that women increasingly rely on other income sources such as employment or social benefits.
For men paying alimony, the financial burden has also eased. In 2023, payments represented 6 percent of their gross household income, compared to 8 percent in 2011.
