After five years of welfare, some still transition to paid work
Recent research by Divosa shows that nearly a quarter of long-term social assistance recipients in the Netherlands eventually secure paid employment, even after five years of receiving benefits. While younger individuals find work more easily, continuous professional guidance is proving vital for helping all demographics navigate complex barriers like health issues and debt.
Research by Divosa indicates that individuals who have been receiving social assistance for more than five years can still transition into paid employment, with nearly a quarter of this group successfully finding work. While the likelihood of exiting assistance decreases the longer one remains in the system, ongoing support and guidance remain essential. Among those in the system for less than five years, approximately 40 percent eventually secure jobs, whereas half of the current total assistance recipients have been dependent on the benefit for over five years.
The findings highlight that younger recipients are generally more successful at exiting the welfare system compared to older individuals, a group that is growing due to broader societal aging trends. Currently, over 30 percent of recipients are older than 55. Furthermore, external factors such as debts, health issues, or caregiving responsibilities contribute to the difficulty of finding employment, as evidenced by the decline in the overall transition rate to work from 11.5 percent in 2021 to 7.9 percent in 2025. According to CBS data, there were 410,000 welfare recipients in the Netherlands by the end of 2025.
Based on reporting by nu. Translated and condensed by LocalHeadlines.
