Growing group of over 55s born abroad, more likely to be living in poverty

In 2024, 12 percent of residents of the Netherlands aged 55 and over were born outside the Netherlands. That was up from 9 percent in 2012. Most people aged 55 and over who were born outside the Netherlands were born in Suriname, Indonesia or Türkiye (Turkey). People in this group are more likely to be living in poverty than those in the same age group who were born inside the Netherlands. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports this on the basis of new research.

Majority from Suriname and Indonesia

The number of people aged 55 and over who were born outside the Netherlands increased from 454 thousand in 2012 to 758 thousand in 2024. The most common countries of birth are Suriname, Indonesia, Türkiye and Morocco. Only the number of people aged 55 and over who were born in Indonesia decreased. This is because they are older, on average, and so more people in this group have passed away.

There has been a significant rise in the number of people aged 55 and over from countries from which, in the past, refugees have come to the Netherlands, such as Iran, Iraq and Syria. There were also over 13 thousand people aged 55 and over who were born in Ukraine. A large number of them came to the Netherlands following the Russian invasion in 2022.

Many people aged 55 and over were born in neighbouring countries

There is also a relatively large number of people aged 55 and over living in the Netherlands who were born in Germany, Belgium and the United Kingdom. Germans and Belgians aged 55 and over often live in towns and villages close to the border with those countries. The larger cities, on the other hand, are home to more people who migrated to the Netherlands in the past, such as people from Suriname, Turkey and Morocco.

People aged 55 and over who were born abroad are more likely to be living in poverty

This group is more likely to be living in poverty than people in the same age group who were born in the Netherlands. Those born in Indonesia are twice as likely to be living in poverty, for instance, while those born in Iraq are 19 times as likely. This is partly because the latter group have been in the Netherlands for a shorter period, on average. As a result, in many cases they are not entitled to a full state pension.

Those aged 55 and over who are not yet eligible for a state pension (because they are not yet 67 years old) are also more likely to be living in poverty. They are also more likely to depend on benefits as their main source of income than people aged 55 and over who were born in the Netherlands.