Forms and levels of material reception conditions

Netherlands

Country Report: Forms and levels of material reception conditions Last updated: 10/07/24

Author

Dutch Council for Refugees Visit Website

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.

Table of contents

  • Statistics
  • Overview of the legal framework
  • Overview of the main changes since the previous report update
  • Asylum Procedure
  • Reception Conditions
  • Detention of Asylum Seekers
  • Content of International Protection
  • ANNEX I – Transposition of the CEAS in national legislation