Government; social benefits

Government; social benefits

Benefits Periods Social benefits (million euros)
Total social benefits 2021* 181,346
Total statutory social security benefits 2021* 133,057
Act on Work and Income based on Work ... 2021* 6,756
Compulsory Health Insurance Act (ZFW-vp) 2021* 0
Disability Benefits Act (WAO) 2021* 3,321
General Disability Benefits Act (AAW) 2021* 0
General Exceptional Medical Expenses Act 2021* 0
General Old Age Pensions Act (AOW) 2021* 42,956
General Surviving Relatives Act (Anw) 2021* 317
Health Care Insurance Act (Zvw) 2021* 46,679
Long-term care Act (Wlz) 2021* 25,623
Self-Employed Persons Disability Bene... 2021* 88
Sickness Benefits Act (ZW) 2021* 0
Sickness Benefits Act safety net (ZW-... 2021* 1,978
Unemployment Benefits Act (WW) 2021* 3,662
Work and Care Act (WAZO) 2021* 1,677
Total social assistance benefits 2021* 48,289
Act for social assistance to disabled... 2021* 0
Assistance for transport of schoolchi... 2021* 317
Assistance to asylum seekers and mino... 2021* 287
Assistance to older and partially dis... 2021* 325
Assistance to war victims 2021* 193
Child benefit (kgb) 2021* 2,648
Childcare 2021* 3,493
Compensation to Pensioners for Loss o... 2021* 0
Coronavirus testing 2021* 1,166
Disability Assistance Act for Handica... 2021* 3,500
Early childhood education and care 2021* 204
Educational assistance to academic ho... 2021* 514
Educational assistance to medical fac... 2021* 300
General Family Allowance Act (AKW) 2021* 3,680
Health care allowance 2021* 5,473
Health care providers 2021* 245
Home-ownership premium benefit 2021* 3
Investing in Young People Act (WIJ) 2021* 0
Legal Assistance Act 2021* 426
Mental health care (GGZ) 2021* 67
Nursing Homes Act 2021* 0
Reintegration benefits 2021* 197
Reintegration Fund (REA) 2021* 0
Rent benefit 2021* 4,001
Social Support Act (Wmo) 2021* 6,515
Student finance 2021* 2,621
Supplementary Fund (Tf) 2021* 770
Supplementary income for the elderly ... 2021* 350
Welfare 2021* 6,138
Youth Act 2021* 4,131
Other social assistance benefits 2021* 725
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Dataset is not available.


This table contains information on social benefits provided by general government. The terms and definitions used for the totals are in accordance with the framework of National Accounts. National Accounts are based on the international definitions of the European System of Accounts (ESA 2010). Small temporary differences with publications of the National Accounts may occur due to the fact that government finance statistics are sometimes more up to date. The terms used for the individual social benefits are based on national legislation. Social benefits by employers in the context of other employment related social insurance schemes are not included in this table.

Data available from:
Yearly figures from 1995.

Status of the figures:
The figures for the period 1995-2020 are final. The figures for 2021 are provisional.

Changes as of 30 November 2022:
Figures for year 2021 are available.
The annual figures for 2020 have been adjusted.
The figures for year 2020 are final.

In comparison to the previous version of this table, the following changes have been made:
- The names and descriptions of the social benefits have been updated.
- A new social benefit was introduced in 2021, related to Coronavirus testing.
- The social benefits pertaining to student grants (“scholarships” previously) and the student travel product (“public transport card for students” previously) have been combined into a single category, called “Student finance”.
- An error has been rectified in relation to the social benefits paid out by the Supplementary Fund (“Supplementary benefits act” previously) for the period of 2010-2016. The Income Assistance for Older Unemployed Persons (IOW) paid out by this fund was incorrectly included in the category for “Other social assistance benefits”. As of this publication, the IOW benefits are recorded as part of the Supplementary Fund (Tf) for the entire time series.

When will new figures be published?
Yearly figures are published six months after the end of the year concerned.
These yearly figures are revised eighteen months after the end of the year concerned. Please note that there is a possibility that adjustments might take place at the end of March or September, in order to provide the European Commission with the most actual figures.
More information on the revision policy of National Accounts can be found under 'relevant articles' under paragraph 3.

Description topics

Social benefits
Social benefits supplied to households in order to offer financial security against several risks (such as sickness, disability, old age, the death of a relative, and unemployment) or to accommodate for certain needs (such as housing and education). This category constitutes statutory social security benefits and social assistance benefits.