Over 20 changes will impact your wallet in 2026 as Dutch law updates take effect Jan. 1
The Netherlands is implementing dozens of law changes on January 1, 2026, and Thursday marks the last scheduled date for Parliamentary debates and votes before the winter recess begins. Here is a summary of 20 items, including price increases, that will definitively make an impact on the wallets of those living in the country.
The hourly minimum wage for workers 21 years of age and older will rise from €14.40 per hour to €14.71 based on a 36-hour workweek. The update takes effect on January 1.
Minimum youth wages will also increase by just over 2 percent. Workers who are 20 years of age will see their minimum hourly wage increase to €11.77, while 19-year-olds will earn a minimum of €8.83 and anyone 18 years of age will take a minimum of €7.36. The rate will be €5.81, €5.07, or €4.41 for those aged 17, 16, or 15, respectively.
Several welfare benefits and the state pension are linked to the minimum wage, so they will also increase. These include unemployment, occupational disability, disability, and sickness benefits.
The tax plan for 2026 will result in minimum wage earners seeing their net income increase by between €10 and €20 per month, depending on hours worked. People earning a modal income (€3,875 per month) will get €34.67 more per month, and those earning twice the modal will see an increase of €47.17 per month.
The lowest income tax rate will fall slightly, but the second bracket will be higher, and the tax brackets will not adjust in line with inflation, meaning lower- and middle-income households will be less likely to feel the full benefits of any increase in purchasing power. The rate of tax paid on the first €39,357 chunk of income earned in a year will fall from 35.82 percent to 35.70 percent. The rate in the next block (up to €79,137) will increase from 37.48 percent to 37.56 percent. All income above that threshold will be taxed at 49.50 percent, the same rate as previously paid.
Several pension funds are switching to the new pension system on January 1. Under the new system, pensions are held in individual accounts. Younger participants’ funds are invested more aggressively, while older participants’ accounts are managed conservatively. The new system also requires pension funds to hold smaller reserves, so some indicated that it would lead to higher payouts for retirees.
The maximum healthcare allowance is decreasing slightly. Single people will receive €2 less per month, reaching a maximum of €219. But the income threshold will increase, meaning that the healthcare allowance will be phased out more slowly. On balance, many people receiving this allowance will therefore receive a slightly higher amount. Health insurance premiums are increasing by an average of €1 per month next year. The average premium in 2026 is €159.63 for basic health insurance.
Parents will receive higher allowances to contribute to childcare costs. Working parents with a combined income of up to €56,412 will receive 96 percent of the maximum hourly rate reimbursed. Parents with a higher income will also receive a higher reimbursement percentage.
The maximum hourly rate for subsidized daycare is increasing to €11.23, for after-school care to €9.98, and for childminders to €8.49.
The child-related budget will increase slightly for single parents with an income of up to €29,736. Couples with an income of up to €39,141 will also receive a slightly higher amount. Parents earning more than these amounts may receive slightly less.
Alimony amounts will increase by 4.6 percent, affecting both spousal support and child support payments.
The rules for the rent allowance are changing so that tenants paying high rents can also qualify. Currently, tenants with rent exceeding €900 automatically don’t qualify for the housing benefit, with the idea that if you can qualify for a rent that high, you can afford it. But due to the housing shortage, many tenants are stuck paying rent beyond their means because it is the only suitable living space they can find.
From 1 January 2026, everyone aged 21 and over can apply for a housing benefit, regardless of their rent. However, the government will only pay the benefit on the portion of the rent up to €932.93 per month. For young people aged 18 to 20, the government will pay a benefit of up to €498.20.
NS is hiking the prices of its train tickets and subscriptions. On average, prices will increase by 6.5 percent.
Gas and electricity prices will go up by about 3 percent, or roughly 24 euros per year for an average household. Many households will also pay more for their water.
The excise duty on petrol will increase by 5.5 cents per liter, on diesel by 3.6 cents, and on LPG by 1.3 cents.
PostNL is increasing the price of stamps again. Next year, a stamp will cost €1.40, up from the current €1.31. A decade ago, stamps still cost 73 cents each.
Municipal taxes and levies are also rising, by an average of 3.9 percent. The average homeowner will spend €1,001 on municipal housing costs next year, topping the €1,000 mark for the first time.
The income allowance exempt from wage garnishment calculations to resolve debts will increase with inflation. Current rates range from just under 2,100 euros for a single adult without children, to nearly 2,900 euros for a household of two adults with minor-aged children.
