Number of young people relying on benefits continues to rise

The number of people claiming welfare benefits in the Netherlands has risen for the third year in a row, with the steepest increase among people under 27 years old, according to figures from national statistics agency CBS.

At the end of the second quarter of 2026, 413,000 people below the state pension age were receiving welfare, 4,000 more than a year earlier.

The total has now risen year-on-year for 12 consecutive quarters, though it remains slightly below its level before the coronavirus pandemic.

Sharpest rise among under-27s
Claims went up across all age groups, but fastest among the young. The number of under-27s on welfare rose 5.7% from a year earlier to 44,000, and has climbed by 27% since late 2022.

Among people aged 45 up to the state pension age, the number edged up 0.2% to 229,000, while 140,000 people aged 27 to 45 were claiming, a rise of 0.8%.
In the first quarter, more people started claiming welfare than left it – the 14th quarter in a row that arrivals rose faster than departures.

Welfare, which is administered by local councils, is paid to people of working age with no other income. The rise comes as unemployment has grown, reaching 4% earlier in the summer.