Benefit for older and disabled unemployed people

Are you an older unemployed worker and no longer entitled to WW or WGA benefits? You may be eligible for IOAW benefit. This benefit supplements your income up to the social assistance level.

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Approach

We do not have a separate procedure for applying for an IOAW benefit. We ask you to fill in the notification form Social assistance benefit to fill in. Once we have received your report, we will invite you for a conversation on Maanplein 88. We will then check whether you are eligible for an IOAW benefit or the Participation Act.

Description

The IOAW applies to older unemployed workers. The difference with a Social assistance benefit is that we do not look at your assets at the IOAW. You may keep your savings, your own home or your boat. We do deduct the income of you and your partner from or in connection with work from your benefit. We do not deduct other types of income and income from cost sharers. 

The number of people in your household determines the amount of your benefit. If you live with more people in the house, you can share living expenses and your benefit will be lower. This does not apply to resident children under 21, students and commercial relations (tenants).

Requirements

You are entitled to the IOAW if:

  • You were born before January 1, 1965 and
  • you became unemployed after age 50 and received full wage-related WW benefits and continuation benefits; or
  • you became entitled to WGA benefits after age 50 but lost those benefits because you were less than 35% incapacitated at the reexamination.  

The cost-sharing standard 

The cost-sharing standard only applies to a single person.
If the cost-sharing standard applies to you, we will reduce your benefit from 70% of the statutory minimum wage. Your benefit will then remain at 50% of the minimum wage.

The cost-sharing standard does not apply:

  • If you are cohabiting partners
  • for persons up to 27 years of age
  •  for students
  • cohabitants with a commercial relationship. This includes, for example, commercial room rental or boarding houses

If you are a single person and not a breadwinner, you will receive 70% of the legal minimum wage.  

Term

It may take several weeks for the first payout. Are you in need of money because of this? Then you can ask for an advance. Contact the municipality for this.

Objection and appeal

You can object to the decision on your application. Do this within 6 weeks. Do you then disagree with the decision on the objection? Then file an appeal with the court.

More information can be found at: Filing an Objection.

Learn more

Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment

Learn more about the IOAW benefit

IOAW benefit application manual

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