Further increase social security benefits

• Increase in number of social security benefits for second quarter running
• Increase in first six months of 2009 more than 4 percent
• Number of benefits equals that of April 2008
• Increase mainly among men and singles

According to the latest figures published by Statistics Netherlands, the number of social security benefits paid to under-65s has increased for the second consecutive quarter. By the end of June this year, 270 thousand benefits were paid out, an increase by more than 11 thousand relative to six months ago. The increase predominantly concerns benefits with a duration period of less than 1 year.

In the first six months of 2009, the number of social security benefits has risen by 4.4 percent, equalling the level of April 2008. The new recipients are mainly men and singles. Proportionally, the sharpest increase was recorded in the age category under 25.    

With 3 percent, the increase in the western part of the Netherlands, where more than half of social security recipients live, was relatively small. In the norther, eastern and southern parts of the Netherlands, the increase was nearly twice as high (approximately 6 percent) over the past six months.

In more than three quarters of municipalities, the number of social security benefits increased in the first half of 2009. In three municipalities out of the 25 Dutch municipalities with a registered population of at least 100 thousand, i.e. Haarlemmermeer, Enschede and Emmen, the increase exceeded 10  percent. In Rotterdam, the increase was less than 1 percent.

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