The total bill for welfare benefits (bijstand) is set to reach €669m this year, well above earlier estimates, according to the local authorities’ organisation VNG.

Local councils are responsible for paying welfare benefits and it had been thought this year’s total would reach €500m. The rise is because the cabinet has underestimated the number of people making claims, the VNG says.
It wants parliament to put pressure on the government to carry out independent research into the size of the welfare budget.
Yesterday it emerged that the number of poor pensioners claiming welfare top-ups has more than doubled in 10 years.