Government efforts to simplify the tax system are costing the country’s three million pensioners, the self-employed and lowest paid workers money, the Volkskrant reports on Tuesday.

The changes, introduced from April 1, mean the definition of income is the same, no matter what sort of tax or premium you pay.

The Volkskrant used freedom of information legislation to access finance ministry research which shows that everyone earning more than €2,000 a month benefits from the definition changes.

But low earners and pensioners are losing up to €81 a month because of the changes, the ministry research shows.

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