Waiting list for disability benefits review could hit 100,000 by 2027

The backlog for WIA disability assessments could grow to 100,000 people by 2027 if no action is taken, according to the UWV in its annual report. By the end of last year, 26,700 people were already experiencing excessive waiting times.

A combination of rising application volumes, the temporary suspension of the 60-plus measure, and the departure of many self-employed insurance doctors following new legislation is causing delays at the UWV to grow.

At the end of 2024, 14,000 people were already waiting too long for an assessment. Without political action, the number waiting more than sixteen weeks could climb to 100,000, potentially reaching 200,000 by 2030.

In interviews with Het Financieele Dagblad and AD, UWV board chairman Maarten Camps calls for a different system. He argues that efforts should first focus on helping people return to work, with medical assessments coming later. The current order, he says, creates unnecessary backlogs. Camps also suggests widening the legal framework for assessments, which are now reserved for insurance physicians but could, in some cases, be carried out by nurses.

At the end of last year, nearly 8,000 people had been waiting more than six months for an assessment, up from 1,100 a year earlier. In some cases, waiting times now exceed a year. The UWV says it aims to cut delays this year so that no one waits longer than six months, according to a spokesperson.

A dedicated team will be set up to verify WIA calculations in an effort to prevent further errors. In recent years, the UWV has made mistakes in determining benefit amounts, resulting in some people receiving too much and others too little.

The recovery operation is on schedule, Camps told AD. Back payments are set to begin this summer, with the full correction operation expected to be completed by the end of 2027.

In the short term, the UWV is working to streamline its internal processes to speed up assessments. The organisation is investing in digitalisation and aims to make procedures more uniform. A spokesperson said there are currently large regional differences, including in waiting times, which the agency wants to reduce.