Healthcare allowance
Everyone who works and/or lives in the Netherlands can receive a contribution from the Tax and Customs Administration to pay part of the healthcare premium. This is called the healthcare allowance (zorgtoeslag). If you are an international worker coming to the Netherlands to work and/or live, you can apply for this benefit.
What is the healthcare allowance?
The healthcare allowance is a financial contribution towards the obligatory medical insurance against medical costs. It's designed to keep public health insurance affordable for everyone. The exact amount of the healthcare allowance depends on your income, with a maximum in 2023 of 154 euros (for single income households) or 247 euros (for those with a fiscal partner). It is paid by the benefits department of the Tax and Customs Administration.
When are you eligible for healthcare allowance?
- You are over 18 years old
- You are on a low or medium income. To find out if you are eligible for healthcare allowance, please visit the Belastingdienst Toeslagen website
- You are a Dutch national, have a residency permit or are a resident of the European Union
- You are working or receiving benefits in the Netherlands
Has your situation changed? Has your salary increased, for instance? Don't forget to notify the Tax and Customs Administration as soon as possible. This prevents you from having to repay (part of) your allowance at a later date.
How can you apply for the healthcare allowance?
You can apply to the Tax and Customs Administration for the healthcare allowance. You need DigiD for this.
If you have any questions about the healthcare allowance, you can call the Tax Department foreign helpline. They will answer your questions in Dutch, English or German. Telephone number: +31 (0) 55 5385385.
Visit the website of Belastingdienst Toeslagen for the most up-to-date information.
Relevant websites that can help you apply for healthcare allowance from the Tax and Customs Administration
- The government website has information about healthcare allowance and the conditions. The website is only available in Dutch
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The Netherlands Worldwide website explains how to apply for a DigiD. This information is available in English, German, Spanish and French.
You must then request an activation code for the DigiD. You can do so with the help of a video call. You can also collect the activation code from one of 13 municipalities in the Netherlands. An appointment is required for both the video call and the collection of the activation code.
With the activation code you can activate the DigiD on DigiD.nl or the app. -
If you want to ask someone to help you apply for healthcare allowance, you can authorise that person. Visit DigiD.nl for an explanation.