5000 Amsterdam parents report as victims of an allowance scandal, considerably more than expected
Aldermen Marjolein Moorman and Rutger Groot Wassink write this in a council letter published today. Since February 2021 we have activated everyone who has registered and we have been in contact with everyone.
The number of 5000 is more than the number of 1700 Amsterdam victims determined by the Tax Authorities. This spring the counter was still at 4400 people. Of the 5000 people who have come forward, it is not clear how many people are also recognized as victims by the government.
Many of these families are still on hold due to the delayed settlement at the tax authorities. Provide help to the municipality during this process where more than half of the families have. For example, the municipality has spent 1.5 million euros that it received from the government for adjustments: so that someone can go to the dentist, or children can get a laptop to study.
Attorney’s Fees
The stories are also poignant in Amsterdam. Take Cheikhou Mbengue (51) from Amsterdam-East, who was first summoned ten years ago by the tax authorities. His debt amounted to 29,000 euros; the container was already ready to get his things from his house. Mbengue was able to pay off most of his enormous debt with the help of family from Senegal. The municipality was able to give an important final push by taking over the remaining 1500 euros in debts and lawyer fees.
The city council is therefore committed to debt counseling. The government has announced that public and private debt will be forgiven. All progress has been paused for parents who have reported to the municipality, but have yet to be scheduled as victims by the government.
The 42-year-old Evrim Ögretmen from Noord has also been in contact with the municipality. She paid off her debt of 25,000 euros with the first government compensation, and she was able to keep her job and her own company. “I have told my story, but not much else has happened. I think they mainly looked for the somewhat executed cases, such as people who have lost their home from outside the labor market.”
minor
According to the municipality, about 263 cases are complex. There are special breakthrough teams for institutions. The alderman expects to be working on broad support for families for the entire term of office. Extra attention for the time spent on children of victimized parents, about 6600, of whom two thirds are minors.
In addition, there are about 35 families in Amsterdam who are victims and where children have been removed from their homes. This is according to figures from Statistics Netherlands. The municipality knows which families are involved and does not expect the number to be higher. If parents so wish, the municipality can put them in touch with youth services.
Mbengue feels prepared for a fertile date, he did not end up in that situation and was able to go to Italy with his 13-year-old son last week. He is alive again, it feels, and chooses not to dwell too much on the benefits scandal. He keeps off contact with other victims.
Ögretmen says she ‘doesn’t have time’ to deal with the benefits scandal: she wants to continue. “I thought it was neat that I was treated smoothly during corona time, when I took out a loan for my company. But for me, the allowance affair is now a far-from-my-bed show.”
Both hope that others will eventually be able to move on with their lives, but it does not mean that all traces have been erased. Because although Mbengue appreciates the help of the municipality, he still prefers not to seek it out. “Recently I had to go to town hall to apply for a travel document, which is very difficult for me. For me, a municipal official feels the same as someone from the tax authorities.”