Rent benefit (huurtoeslag)

Renting student housing in The Hague can be very expensive. Fortunately, you may be entitled to a rent benefit. This is a monthly amount of money which you’ll receive from the government to defray your rental expenses.

If you’re living in an independent accommodation, you might be entitled to rent benefit. The benefit also applies to foreign students, but only if they also have a residence permit with entitlement to social services or Dutch nationality.

Independent accommodation

An independent accommodation must meet the following requirements:

• your own front door that can be locked from the inside and the outside
• your own living room or bedroom
• your own kitchen
• your own bathroom

Whether or not you are entitled to rent benefit also depends on how high your rent and income are. The maximum levels for your rent and income are listed on the website of the Belastingdienst (Tax Department). The website also enables you to perform test calculations, which will let you know right away whether you’re entitled to a rent benefit and how much you will get.

Refund or extra payment

A rent benefit is always an advance payment. At the end of the year, the Tax Department will calculate the total amount of rent benefit to which you were entitled. They do this based on your income for that year. If you received too little rent benefit, you’ll receive an additional amount of money.

If you received too much, for example, because you earned more money than projected, you’ll have to pay back this amount. It’s important to notify the Tax Department of any changes in your rent or income as soon as possible, so that you won’t encounter any surprises at the end of the year.

Health care benefit

If you are entitled to a rent benefit you can also receive a health care benefit (zorgtoeslag). A health care benefit is a reimbursement for your health insurance costs. You can request both of them at the same time using the same form on the website of the Tax Department.

Also see

• Benefits