Of all working people in the Netherlands, freelancers are most often at risk of dropping below the poverty line, Statistics Netherlands reported on Tuesday. In 2017 the percentage of freelancers - self-employed persons with no employees - at risk of earning less than they need increased, while the number of employees at risk of poverty has been decreasing for years.
self-employed
Oct 3 '18 12:00
A growing group of working Dutch live in poverty, social and cultural planning office SCP said in a report published on Wednesday. In 2014 a total of 4.6 percent of Dutch workers, or 320 thousand people, lived below the poverty line, compared to 3.1 percent in 2001. Of these working poor, 175 thousand are employed and 145 thousand are self-employed, ANP reports.
Oct 1 '18 11:40
Employers' organization AWVN wants to make it mandatory for freelancers, entrepreneurs and other self-employed to have occupational disability cover. The AWVN will present this plan at a conference on Monday, Trouw reports.
Compulsory disability insurance for self-employed and freelancers has long been a point of dispute between employers and trade unions. Trade unions warn of the risk that the growing group of self-employed in the Netherlands form, while employers argued that self-employed should be able to decide for themselves how they spend their income.
Sep 13 '18 09:25
Almost half, 46 percent, of the Dutch population saw their purchasing power decrease last year, Statistics Netherlands reported on Thursday. The purchasing power developments varied considerably in 2017. For a fifth of the population, purchasing power decreased by at least 7 percent. Another fifth saw their purchasing power increase by 10.9 percent.
Jul 3 '18 11:30
The Dutch economy is growing steadily and is expected to continue growing in the next two years, but employees in the Netherlands are not sufficiently benefiting from this growth, the OECD - the global organization that examines the social and economic policy of its member countries - said in its report on the state of the Netherlands economy, NOS reports.
Oct 9 '17 19:06
The VVD, CDA, D66 and ChristenUnie are now really very almost done with their government agreement, ChristenUnie leader Gert-Jan Segers said to NOS on Friday afternoon. But he thinks the four parties will have to meet again on Monday.
There will be no meetings over the weekend. The ChristenUnie respects the Sunday rest. "And on Saturday I have other plans", Segers said to the broadcaster.
Oct 9 '17 12:40
The new Dutch government is implementing an hourly minimum wage of between 15 and 18 euros for meal deliverers, cleaners and other freelancers or self-employed who work at a low rate, RTL Nieuws reported after getting a look at the VVD, CDA, D66 and ChristenUnie's plans for freelancers.
Sep 15 '17 11:10
The average purchasing power of Dutch increased by 2.7 percent last year, the strongest increase since 2007, Statistics Netherlands announced on Friday. Despite this, one in three Dutch saw their purchasing power decrease, NU.nl reports.
The increase can be attributed to a package of debt relief measures and an average of 1.8 percent increase in collective bargaining agreement wages, according to the stats office. The 0.3 percent increase in consumer prices, pushed purchasing power down somewhat.
Sep 12 '17 10:30
Eight out of ten still-working millionaires in the Netherlands are self-employed, Statistics Netherlands reported on Tuesday. They can mainly be found in agriculture, trade, financial services and business services. 19 percent of still working millionaires are farmers.
This is based on Statistics Netherlands data dated 1 January 2015. On that date the Netherlands counted 106 thousand households with a capital of one million euros or more. About two thirds of these millionaires had work as the main source of income. The rest consists mainly of retirees.
Jul 27 '17 13:10
Dutch benefits agency UWV wrongly refused to pay maternity leave to pregnant self-employed women and now has to make sure they get "appropriate compensation", the Central Council of Appeals ruled on Thursday in a case about three women who gave birth in 2005, ANP reports.
Jul 11 '17 11:10
Less than 20 percent of the 873 thousand freelancers and self-employed in the Netherlands have insurance against occupational disability, according to figures by Statistics Netherlands and TNO. 70 percent of this group don't have insurance because they can't afford it.
A quarter of this group say they can carry this risk by themselves and just over 20 percent can fall back on their partner's income. 14 percent don't have insurance because they don't trust insurers. This is especially common in the construction industry, according to the stats office.
Jun 16 '17 09:21
Nearly half of self-employed people in the Netherlands don't save enough for their pensions - 43 percent of Dutch self-employed will not be able to retire with an adequate pension on their current rate of savings, according to a study by the Economic Statistical Bulletin, RTL Z reports.
Jun 12 '17 09:19
Many Dutch self-employed and freelancers, for whom the bulk of their income come from these activities, don't pay income tax. Thanks to a set of deductions, the first 24 thousand euros of their income is untaxed, according to an analysis Statistics Netherlands published on Monday.
Nov 1 '16 11:55
27 percent of freelancers and self-employed in the Netherlands do not have sufficent financial resources or insurance to provide an income for themselves should they be unable to work due to disability, according to a report published by the Central Planning Bureau (CPB) on Monday, ANP reports.
Just over half of self-employed and freelancers have sufficient possibilities to get a replacement income on the level of a disability benefit. One in 20 have no posibilities of providing a mininum income and will likely have to depend on welfare should they be unable to work.
Jun 16 '16 10:09
About 30 percent of young starters are unfairly denied a mortgage, according to mortgage expert Hypotheekshop's own research
May 24 '16 09:26
Freelancers experience less pressure at work and are less likely to burnout than employees who work for a boss. They are also more enthusiastic about their work, find their jobs more varied and want to retire later than employees, according to a study done by TNO and Statistics Netherlands.
Jan 20 '16 11:34
The number of Syrian businesses in the Netherlands grew by 23 percent to 947 last year. The number of Iraqi businesses grew by 20 percent to 3,356, the Kamer van Koophandel, the Dutch chamber of Commerce
Jun 9 '15 10:41
The leader of the FNV union, Ton Heerts, spoke against social services for freelancers in an interview with FD. He says self-employed people making use of disability, sickness and unemployment benefits undermines the entire social welfare system.
May 11 '15 11:57
It is still difficult for self-employed workers, including freelancers, to close a mortgage, concludes the Association of Homeowners (VEH) based on a survey of 851 people in the Netherlands. Self-employed who want to close their mortgage find themselves in "a world of distrust and opposition," writes the association in their report.
Apr 2 '15 11:03
According to the Dutch Association of Banks, it is easier for freelancers and self-employed people to get a mortgage loan than they might think. But according to Arjen Vrolijk of ZZP Nederland, bank employees and mortgage advisers do not always have the right knowledge to analyse their financial statements
Feb 11 '15 18:24
So-called flex workers operating under flexible working contracts are less satisfied with their jobs and lives than the people holding a permanent working contract, concludes the report of the Social and Cultural Planning Office (SCP). Flex workers are also less satisfied with the pay, training and career opportunities in the organization compared to the permanent staff.
Nov 5 '14 09:04
A study done by the Social and Cultural Planning Bureau (SCP) shows that one in six self employed people are living below the poverty line.
Jan 10 '14 14:27
The top official in the Ministry of Economic Affairs calls for new economic reforms to allow self-employed people, including freelancers, to get pension and disability protection.
Jan 7 '14 04:36
Last year more than 150,000 people in the Netherlands started a company, which is an increase of 13 percent compared to 2012. This is evidenced by figures, published by the Chamber of Commerce on Monday.
