The number of welfare recipients is growing, especially among young people | NOW

The number of people receiving general social assistance benefits increased last year for the first time since 2016. Especially among young people and people with a migrant background, many social assistance recipients were added, according to figures released by Statistics Netherlands on Monday.

At the end of last year, 429,000 people received general social assistance benefits. That is fourteen thousand more than at the end of the previous year, which is an increase of 3 percent.

It was the first ascent in four years. Especially in 2018, the number of recipients fell sharply, by 24,000.

The corona crisis played a major role in last year’s increase. For example, the number of recipients fell in the first quarter, when the COVID-19 pandemic only played a role in the last weeks. In the three quarters that followed, more and more welfare recipients were added.

Increase of 12 percent among young people up to the age of 27

Last year, the influx towards social assistance was greatest among young people up to the age of 27. Four thousand more were added, which was an increase of no less than 12 percent. In adults between the ages of 27 and 45 there was an increase of 4 percent, in the group between 45 and the state pension age, the growth was limited to 2 percent.

The data from Statistics Netherlands also shows that the number of social assistance recipients rose more sharply among Dutch people with a migration background than among people with a Dutch background. In both persons with a Western and a non-Western migration background, 4 percent more recipients were added. This concerns two thousand and nine thousand people respectively.

Among people with a Dutch background, the influx was limited to a plus of 2 percent, or four thousand people.

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