Social assistance benefit

Do you have insufficient income to live on? Then you may be entitled to Social assistance benefit. These benefits supplement your income up to the social assistance standard that applies to you. First, register as a job seeker at Werk.nl. Then apply online for Social assistance benefit.

Once your notification has been received, someone from Werkgeversservicepunt Parkstad Werkgeversservicepunt WSP) will contact you. Together, we will discuss your options for finding work. This mediation is mandatory. The municipality of Heerlen will contact you by telephone.

Registration Werk.nl

Report online

Approach

How to apply Social assistance benefit :

register as a job seeker at www.werk.nl
fill in the online notification form (arrange online)
After your initial report, we will discuss your situation by phone.
After this telephone consultation, we will send you a link to submit your application digitally.
Please also submit all your supporting documents digitally with this application (this is called uploading data).
Health you have all supporting documents digitally
Health you have a valid DigiD

We will assess your application once we receive it. The municipality will determine whether you are entitled to Social assistance benefit how much money you will receive. Do you have housemates? If so, this may affect the amount of your benefits.

Description

It is important that you earn your own income and only receive benefits for as long as necessary. That is why we help you find work. Sometimes this happens naturally, but you may also need help with this.

The municipality works together with Werkgeversservicepunt WSP) Parkstad and WerkvoorHeerlen. Within 24 hours of registering for Social assistance benefit , you will receive Social assistance benefit from WSP Parkstad. You will be invited to an introductory meeting, where we will discuss your options for finding work.

Please note! This job coaching is not without obligation. If you receive benefits, you also have obligations. The coaching is one of these obligations and applies from the moment you register. This means that we also share your data with WSP Parkstad and WerkvoorHeerlen.

You are entitled to Social assistance benefit your income and assets are below the social assistance level. The income and assets of the partner you live with are also taken into account. Your personal assets include not only your savings, but also valuable possessions, for example.

Requirements

You do not have enough money to cover your living expenses. Do you have a partner? Or do you live with someone and share household expenses? If so, this person's income and assets will be taken into account. The income of children living at home will not be taken into account as long as your child is younger than 27.
You are 18 years of age or older.
You live in the Netherlands.
You can show that you have a basic knowledge of Dutch(level 1F). This means that you can write and understand short, easy texts.
You are not entitled to any other benefits.
You do not belong to an excluded group of persons, such as prisoners or foreigners without a residence permit.
Do you want to move to another municipality? And do you receive Social assistance benefit? Then you must first look for work there.
You comply with the rules imposed on you by the municipality.

Are you fromone of these European countries? Then, during your first three months in the Netherlands, you will only receive social assistance in one of the following cases:

You are an employee or self-employed person under EU law. This means:
- You work at least 16 hours per week.
- You earn at least 50% of the social assistance standard in your country.
- If you are self-employed: your company is registered with the Chamber of Commerce (KvK).
You have become unemployed or incapacitated for work against your will. This happened less than 6 months ago.
You are a family member of an EU resident who lives, works, studies, or has started a business in the Netherlands. You live at the same address as this family member.

New rules in 2026

Do you receive social assistance from the municipality of Heerlen?
Then, as of January 1, 2026, new rules will apply regarding gifts, assets, informal care, and identification.

Gifts: up to €1,200 per year

A gift is money that you receive and do not have to repay. You may receive €1,200 per year in gifts. This amount applies per person, including families with children under the age of 18.

Does someone pay for your groceries or health insurance? Then that also counts as a gift.

You only need to report gifts if you receive more than €1,200 per year. Keep track of this yourself and save the details.

Are you receiving more than €500 in a single payment? If so, it is wise to report this.
If you are unsure, please contact your income advisor.

Assets: only report if you exceed the limit

You only need to report an increase in your assets if you exceed the threshold.

The limit is:

€8,000 for single persons
€16,000 for single parents, married couples, and cohabiting couples

Your own home does not count.

Are you within €1,000 of the limit? Please contact us. We will then work with you to determine what this means.

More space for informal care

Do you provide or receive informal care? That is allowed. Be sure to discuss your situation with your income advisor.

Identification now easier

You can now also identify yourself with:

DigiD
a Dutch or European driver's license

You no longer always needMap show your passport orMap .

Term

The municipality will make a decision within eight weeks of receiving your application. The municipality may extend this period once.

We pay your benefit every month before the 15th. If you have not received your benefit by the 16th, please call us on working days between 10 a.m. and 12 noon.

Objections and appeals

You can object to the decision on your application. Do this within 6 weeks. If you disagree with the decision on the objection, you can lodge an appeal with the court.