Applying for social assistance
If you have too little money to get by, you may be entitled to social assistance (bijstand). You can apply for social assistance at your municipality or the werk.nl website, an online work platform operated by the Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringen – UWV (Employee Insurance Agency).
You are entitled to social assistance if you:
are a Dutch citizen or lawfully resident in the Netherlands, and;
are aged 18 or over;
do not have enough income or funds to get by. Your (joint) income must be below the social assistance standard (in Dutch);
cannot claim any other provision or benefit;
are not in prison or in a detention house.
There are also a number of obligations when you receive social assistance (in Dutch).
This is how it works for you
Here is some information from your municipality.
Municipality of Weststellingwerf: Applying for social assistance
Please note: you can only apply for bijstand (social assistance) if you live in the Netherlands and are registered with a municipality.
You can apply for social assistance from the municipality of Weststellingwerf if you meet the following additional conditions:
- You are 18 years or older.
- You are Dutch or equivalent. You are equal to a Dutch citizen if you come from an EU country, Dsland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Island or Switzerland. You are also equated if you have a valid residence permit or if you are lawfully resident in the Netherlands in any other way (for example, if you are conducting legal proceedings against a rejection of your residence permit).
- You live or stay in the Netherlands.
- You have no or insufficient personal income.
- You have no equity or equity that is lower than the maximum amount. Think of savings or your own house.
- You cannot receive any other benefit. For example, unemployment benefit or disability benefit.
- You are not excluded from the right to social assistance benefits. That is the case, for example, if you are in prison.
For more information, and to apply for social assistance, you can go to werk.nl.
You will find out within 8 weeks whether you will receive social assistance. You will receive social assistance from the date of the application.
Questions about this topic?
Contact the Municipality of Weststellingwerf
Visiting address
Griffioenpark 1
8471KR Wolvega
| Monday | 09:00 - 13:00 |
| Tuesday | 09:00 - 13:00 |
| Wednesday | 09:00 - 13:00 13:30 - 16:00 |
| Thursday | 09:00 - 13:00 18:30 - 20:30 |
| Friday | 09:00 - 13:00 |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |