Author
With the allowance of € 280.08 / month the asylum seeker needs to cover food, clothing and personal expenses.
Apart from the financial allowance, the right to reception conditions includes an entitlement to:[1]
- Accommodation
- Public transport tickets to visit a lawyer;
- Recreational and educational activities (for example a preparation for the integration-exam);
- A provision for medical costs (healthcare insurance);
- An insurance covering the asylum seekers’ legal civil liability;
- Payment of exceptional costs.
The weekly allowance depends on the situation of the applicant. In some reception centres there are no cooking facilities. A caterer provides the main meal at the reception location or microwave meals are distributed; in these cases the allowance amount is reduced The amounts are as follows:
| Weekly food allowance to asylum seekers accommodated by COA in 2023 | ||
| Category of applicant | With dinner provided | Without dinner provided |
| 1-2 person household
v Per Adult or unaccompanied minor v Per Child |
€ 37.80 € 32.06 |
€ 56.00 € 46.34 |
| 3 person household
v Per adult v Per child |
€ 30.24 € 32.06 |
€ 44.80 € 37.10 |
| 4+ person household
v Per adult v Per child |
€ 26.46 € 22.47 |
€ 39.20 € 32.41 |
Source: Article 14(2)-(3) RVA.
The costs for clothes and other expenses is covered by an additional fixed amount of € 14.02 per week per person.[2] Unlike the other allowances, this allowance was only adjusted in 2023. From 2005 – 2022 it was € 12.95, which was criticised by academia.[3]
It is impossible to cook in almost all the (crisis) emergency locations, in which half of the asylum seekers were staying during 2023. Therefore, catering or microwave meals are provided.
As of 1 January 2023, the social welfare allowance for Dutch citizens is set at €1.283,83 for a single person who is at least 21 years old and not older than 67 years. Thus, an asylum seeker receives approximately less than 22% of the social welfare allowance provided to Dutch citizens.
[1] Article 9(1) RVA.
[2] Article 14(4) RVA.
[3] L. Slingenberg, Geen cent te makken, A&MR 2020, nr. 6-7, 292-295.