Income support dynamics: strongest for young people

The number of people receiving income support fell by 27 thousand to 354 thousand between the end of 1999 and the end of 2000. This decrease was mainly caused by the dynamics in income support claims: more people stopped than started claiming this benefit. In 2000, 136 thousand people stopped receiving income support, while 109 thousand new cases were added. Compared with the end of 1999 this is an outflow of 36 percent and an inflow of 29 percent.

Inflow and outflow of income support claimants in 2000 compared with 1999

Strongest dynamics for young people

The size of the inflow and outflow vary with age. The largest changes are for young people. In 1999 thirty thousand 18-24 year-olds received income support. In 2000 the benefit was discontinued for 24 thousand of these people, over eighty percent. On the other hand, there were 25 thousand new income support claims in this age group in 2000. In the age group 55-64 years the outflow compared with the end of 1999 was only 18 percent, the inflow ten percent.

The age group up to 24 years is the only group in which the number of benefits rose. The inflow in this age group was larger than the outflow. For young people under the age of 18 the number of new cases of income support was higher even in 2000 than at the end of 1999.

In the age group 65 years and older the inflow in 2000 compared with 1999 was 22 percent. This is quite surprising as from the age of 65 most people in the Netherlands are entitled to a state pension. These people are probably those who are not eligible for the state pension for some reason, and therefore receive supplementary income support.

Single people

The dynamics were also above average for single people without children. Forty percent of payments to single people were discontinued in 2000, while 31 percent new cases were added. More men than women move out of income support in this group, 49 and 31 percent respectively. The differences between inflow and outflow are smaller for single parents: 26 and 29 percent respectively.

Inflow and outflow of income support claimants in 2000 compared with 1999

Henk Amptmeijer and Annelies Boerdam