Benefit payments and holiday pay

Minimum wage per hour

On January 1st, 2024, the legal minimum wage per hour was introduced. This is the gross minimum wage per hour. The legal minimum wage per hour applies to all employees age 15 and up. For all employees age 21 and up there is the fixed minimum hourly wage. For employees from age 15 to 20, the fixed minimum youth wage per hour apply. The minimum youth wages are derived from the legal minimum wage per hour.

Wage per week or month

Since 2024 there are no more fixed minimum month, week or day wages any more. The wage per week or month depends on the amount of hours worked (your working time; arbeidsduur).

The following are included in the working hours:

• The number of hours worked
• The hours of leave taken
• The hours someone was sick (with a right for continued payment)

The working time could be different every month. This is because one month could have more workdays than the other.

Table: minimum wage per hour by age (gross figures per January 1st, 2025)

From 21 years to AOW pension age

On July 1st 2025, the social assistance benefits will increase. For people from the age of 21 to AOW pension age (Algemene Ouderdomsweg; National Old Age Pensions Act), the (net) benefits in euros are (depending on age and personal circumstances):

AOW pension age

For people at the AOW pension age, the (net) benefits in euros are (depending on age and personal circumstances):

Living in an institution

For people who live in an institution, the (net) benefits in euros are (depending on age and personal circumstances):

Kostendelersnorm (cost-sharing rule)

The more adults above the age of 27 live in a single house, the lower the benefits. It does not matter how much income the fellow housemates have. More explanations about the cost-sharing rule (in Dutch).

You can apply for the IOAW (the Income Support Act for Older and Partially Disabled Unemployed Workers) if:

• You are unemployed for longer than 1 year (long-term unemployed)
• You were born before 1 January 1965
• You are older than 50 when you were unemployed, but you had not yet reached pension age (AOW).

The IOAW is also available for partially disabled unemployed persons under certain conditions.

You can apply for the IOAZ (Income Support Act for Older and Partially Disabled Former Freelancers) if:

• You were a freelancer and are older than 55, but you have not yet reached pension age.
• You were a freelancer and were forced to close your business or give up your profession.

The IOAZ is available for partially disabled freelancers under certain conditions.

The IOAW and the IOAZ help add up to make sure your combined income meets social assistance levels. Gross income is deducted from the amounts below.

* of which only cohabitants of 27 years or older are included as a cost-sharer for the benefits of housemates (cost-sharers rule).

Unlike social assistance, the IOAW does not take personal assets into account. The IOAW does take other sources of income into account. The IOAZ takes other sources of income and your own capital into account. If you have more than €170.725 in capital, 3% will be deducted from your benefits each year.

People who receive an IOAZ allowance and have a pension deficit can receive a maximum of € 168,907 of supplementary pension schemes, without this being deducted from their benefits.