Number of young people relying on benefits continues to rise

More young Dutch citizens are relying on welfare benefits, with the figure increasing for the third consecutive year, according to national statistics. The sharp rise in claims is among those under 27 years old. At the end of the second quarter of 2026, 413,000 people aged below the state pension age were receiving welfare, a 4,000-person increase from the previous year.

This rise has continued for 12 consecutive quarters, though it remains slightly below pre-pandemic levels. The fastest increase is among the under-27s, with claims up 5.7% year-on-year to 44,000, and a 27% rise since late 2022. While claims for people aged 45 to state pension age also rose 0.2% to 229,000, and those aged 27 to 45 increased by 0.8% to 140,000, the overall trend shows a significant upward trajectory among the younger population.

This comes amid a growing unemployment rate, which reached 4% earlier in the summer, contributing to the increased reliance on welfare. Welfare payments, administered by local councils, are given to working-age individuals without other income sources. The upward trend in welfare claims is part of a pattern where more people start claiming than stop, marking the 14th consecutive quarter with more arrivals than departures.