even more extra support for vulnerable groups
Alderman Rutger Groot Wassink (Social Affairs) and Marjolein Moorman (Poverty Reduction) wrote this to the city council on Tuesday. A number of measures would take effect nationally from 1 January anyway, but the city council does not want to wait for that. “For someone who can’t do groceries today, 2023, when many tax cuts from The Hague come into effect, will be too far away,” says Groot Wassink.
Following the example of Assen and Eindhoven, Amsterdam will raise the age limit for the cost-sharing norm from 21 to 27 from 1 October. The cost-sharing standard means that the social assistance benefit is reduced if several adult people (from 21) live together in the house; in practice often a hard blow when children turn 21 and parents are on benefits. So that will now be 27.
10 percent more for the homeless
The benefit for roof and home benefits will also increase by 10 percent this year and there will be a temporary stop to collections for people on welfare. Employees of social work company Pantar receive compensation for their travel costs and Amsterdam residents with a long-term low income can temporarily receive an extra individual income supplement.
“This is not the major improvement in livelihood security that we need”, Groot Wassink acknowledges, “but this is possible for Amsterdam residents with a small scholarship intention that you just make it to the end of the month. Saving 50 euros extra in the month is then a world of difference.”
In order to be able to pay for the measures, the final settlement of this year is carried out in advance. Groot Wassink: “Partly due to the outflow from social assistance, I expect that we will have money left over. I already want to use that to be able to pay for this.”
Last week, the college announced a package of support measures due to the costs of energy costs and sky-high. For example, the limit for claiming poverty relief will increase from 1 January from 120 to 130 percent of the social minimum, there will be a temporary repayment stop for debt restructuring and an emergency fund for SMEs and social facilities will be set up this year.