Health Insurance Benefit

If you are working in the Netherlands for a Dutch employer and earn an income of less than €39,719 a year, you may qualify for the health care benefit (zorgtoeslag). This allowance goes toward paying your health insurance premium, which is the amount you pay for health insurance monthly.

If you have a job in the Netherlands, then you are required to have Dutch health insurance. Only then you can apply for the allowance. If you are a foreign Bachelor’s or Master’s student and only in the Netherlands for studying and are not employed here, you are NOT eligible for health insurance benefit.

There are some additional eligibility requirements as of 2025, namely:

• You are at least 18 years old
• You are covered by Dutch health insurance
• You have an EU nationality or possess a valid residence/work permit
• Your income (or combined household income) does not exceed the threshold amount (if you live alone, that is €39.719
• Your combined capital (vermogen) is not more than €141.896 (single household) or €179.429 (combined)
• if you have a benefit partner (see more about this below), your combined annual taxable income does not exceed €50.206 (amounts adjusted annually)

All of the eligibility requirements for healthcare benefit are available on the Dienst Toeslagen website and on this site (in Dutch). The amount you will receive depends on your yearly income. You are required to update any changes in income regarding your benefits since it may influence the total paid.

Providing you meet the requirements, you can apply for healthcare benefit online, via Mijn toeslagen (please note: you will need your BSN and your DigiD).

If you would like assistance with applying for benefits, you can find a benefits service point near you at this link.

You can find an English-language overview of the income requirements to qualify for the health care benefit, as well as how much you can expect to receive and when the benefits are made available, at Zorgwijzer.nl.

Please note: If you are not registered with the municipality as of the 1st of the month, then your health insurance benefit will begin the following month.

What is a benefit partner?

The term benefit partner (toeslagpartner in Dutch) needs some clarification. It can be your spouse, your registered partner, or someone else registered at your same address who falls into one of the following categories:

• you have a notarized cohabitation agreement (samenlevingscontract)
• you are parents of the same child
• you or your partner have acknowledged one of the other’s child
• you are a partner in the same pension scheme
• you are joint owners of a house
• you or one of the residents have a child younger than 18 living with you
• you are each other’s tax partner for income tax
• you were benefit partners in the previous year

You can fill in the toeslagpartner check at the Belastingdienst website to see if you have a benefit partner.

Does your benefit partner live abroad? For example, because you do seasonal work? To be able to apply for benefits, you both need a citizen service number (BSN*). Please call the Tax Information Line for more information.

As long as you meet the conditions, the benefit will be continue to be paid to you each month, but you need to notify the Tax authorities if your living or working situation changes, which may in turn change your eligibility.

* The partner living abroad can register for a BSN through the RNI procedure