Less child regulations: The regulations that remain for you

Less child regulations: The regulations that remain for you

In Holland the number of regulations for parents with children decreases. Right now eleven regulations exist, in 2015 that will be reduced to four. The remaining regulations are child benefit, the child bounded budget, the combination discount and the childcare benefit.

Presently, the amount parents receive more money for children over 6 years old than for children under 6 years old. In 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 the benefit for children over 6 year old will be lowered to the same level as for a child under 6 years old. For large families this can mean a difference of up to €1000 a year. Furthermore, the amounts for child bounded budget will increase, but the income threshold will be stricter and an equity test will be implemented.

Because of this streamlining there will be an annual cut of 810 million euro starting in 2018. With this legislative proposal an attempt is made to execute the regulations cheaper and more effectively, because according to minister Lodewijk Asscher of Social Affairs ‘less government bureaucracy’ is needed.

In addition, the government wants to make working from a social welfare benefit more appealing. To date, single parents in social welfare receive a higher contribution than single parents with an employment on the minimum wage level. According to Asscher, in this manner a welfare entitled parent with two children who are in day care outside of school hours will benefit up to €2100 in 2015 if he/she works for the minimum wage for four days a week. The austerity will be hard for single parents in welfare. According to Asscher, they will receive 4.5% less than in 2014.