Number of social security benefits up by 26 thousand in 2010
- 307 thousand social security benefits by the end of 2010
- Considerably more young people on social security
- Flevoland had sharpest increase young social security recipients
- Share WIJ benefits at 11 percent
The latest figures published by Statistics Netherlands show that the number of social security benefits granted to people under the age of 65 has risen by 26 thousand over 2010. The number of social security benefits paid out at the end of last year was 307 thousand.
By the end of 2008, the number of social security benefits had been reduced to 259 thousand. Subsequently, the effects of the economic crisis became apparent. The number of social security benefits granted to all recipients under the age 65 increased by 48 thousand (19 percent). The most substantial increase in the past two years occurred among young people.
On 31 December last year, 35 thousand social security benefits were granted to persons under the age of 27, a growth by 64 percent relative to the end of 2008. The number of young recipients grew in all provinces. The most dramatic increase was recorded in Flevoland, where the number of benefits more than doubled, followed by Drenthe with a growth of 89 percent. With 36 and 43 percent respectively, Utrecht and Limburg showed the smallest increase in young social security recipients.
On 1 July last year, 18 to 27-year-olds still receiving benefits under the Act on Work and Income Support (WWB) were brought under the Act Investing in Young People (WIJ). At the end of December 2010, more than 34 thousand WIJ benefits were granted (11 percent of the total number of social security benefits to under-65s).