Commuters hard hit by austerity package, students benefit

Commuters whose employers pay their expenses for travelling to and from work will lose hundreds of euros a year when the benefit is taxed from next year, according to media reports on Friday.


The decision to tax payments made by employers to commuters is contained in the five-party package of austerity measures which will be sent to parliament. Employers can currently pay untaxed expenses of 19 cents a kilometre or buy staff rail or bus cards.
Most of the measures have already been leaked, but details of how the tax on commuting will pan out are new.
€250 a year
The changes mean people on incomes of below €33,000 a year will lose one-third of their commuting expenses while the better off will lose half. Dutch Rail says it fears the change will cost train travellers an average of €100 a month.
However, someone travelling first class on a daily basis between Amsterdam and The Hague will be €250 worse off, the NS calculates.
But there is good news for students. Plans to scrap grants for students taking a masters degree have been reversed.

Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.

We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.

Make a donation