You are being detained. Wat does that mean for your benefits?

If you have to serve a prison sentence or if you are in a detention centre or secure psychiatric hospital (tbs-kliniek), then you are being detained. You may no longer have the right to some benefits (toeslagen) if you are detained.

The overview shows the changes for each benefit and what you need to do. You can ask you case manager to help you.

• Healthcare benefit (zorgtoeslag)

  If you are detained, you do not pay healthcare premiums (zorgpremies). This means that you no longer get healthcare benefit.

  What do you need to do?

  Let us know you are being detained. You can also report it to us for your benefits partner. Do this on time, but no later than 4 weeks after you have been detained.

  You can report the changes in your situation in the following way:

  1. Log in to Mijn toeslagen (only available in Dutch).
  2. In the search field, type 'Gedetineerd' (Detained).
  3. Select 'Ik of mijn partner wordt gedetineerd' (I am or my partner is being detained).
  4. Answer the questions.

  Tip

  Tell your health insurer (zorgverzekeraar) how long you will be detained. You can do this by sending them a 'detentieverklaring' (detention statement, only available in Dutch). You do not pay premiums during this period, because you get different insurance from the government. Were your children co-insured with you? Then they will remain insured with your health insurer for free.

  How does it work if you don’t have a benefits partner?

  During your detention, we will not pay healthcare benefit to you.

  Are you still detained at the end of the year? Then we will cancel your benefit from 1 January of the next year.

  How does it work if you have a benefits partner?

  You are not entitled to healthcare benefit anymore, but your partner is.

  Your partner will get half of the benefit amount you normally get together. Your income still counts for this.

  Is the benefit registered in your name? After you have told us that you are detained, we will change the benefit to your partner’s name.

  What should you do if you are no longer detained?

  Let us know as soon as possible:

  1. Log in to Mijn toeslagen (only available in Dutch).
  2. In the search field, type 'Gedetineerd' (Detained).
  3. Select 'Ik of mijn partner is niet meer gedetineerd' (I am or my partner is no longer being detained).
  4. Answer the questions.

  After this, you will get healthcare benefit again:

  • If you don’t have a benefits partner, we will pay the benefit to you again if you are released in the same year. If you are released in the same year and your benefit has already stopped, then you must apply for the benefit again.
  • If you have a benefits partner, you will get the full benefit amount again.

  Tip

  If you are no longer detained, let your health insurer know on time. You can arrange this yourself through your prison’s Re-integratie Centrum (Re-integration Centre, RIC).

• Rent benefit (huurtoeslag)

  You are detained for less than 1 year

  If you stay registered at your home address, you will still be entitled to rent benefit. If you are no longer registered at your home address, we will stop your benefit.

  Do you have a benefits partner or co-inhabitant (medebewoner)? If the benefit is registered in their name, your benefits partner or co-inhabitant will continue to get the benefit.

  You are detained for longer than 1 year

  In this case, you are no longer entitled to rent benefit, even if you are still registered at your home address. You must stop the benefit yourself in Mijn toeslagen (only available in Dutch).

  Do you a benefits partner or co-inhabitant? They can apply for the benefit for themselves. The rental contract must be in the name of your partner or co-inhabitant.

  If you stay registered at your home address, your benefits partner or co-inhabitant can ask us not to include you for the rent benefit. You can do this with the form Verzoek bijzondere situatie huurtoeslag (Request Special Situation Rent Benefit, only available in Dutch).

• Childcare benefit (kinderopvangtoeslag)

  You or your benefits partner will be detained for less than 3 months

  Do you already get childcare benefit (kinderopvangtoeslag)? If you and your partner worked up until the detention, you are still entitled to the benefit for the first 3 months of detention. Nothing changes about the benefit during this period.

  Are you and your partner following a programme to find work, a citizenship integration course (inburgeringscursus) or a training programme? Then you are no longer entitled to childcare benefit from the moment you are detained. However, you do not always have to stop the benefit immediately. You will probably still be able to use your registered care hours (opvanguren opmaken, only available in Dutch).

  Are you no longer eligible for childcare benefit? In some cases, the municipality (gemeente) can reimburse you the childcare costs. For example, if childcare is needed for social or medical reasons. Contact your municipality about this.

  You or your benefits partner will be detained for longer than 3 months

  You can get childcare benefit from the moment of detention, including the first 3 months. You must be able to show a detentieverklaring (detention statement, only available in Dutch).

  Are you no longer detained? Then you must both meet the requirements again to get the benefit.

  Does this situation apply to you? Then call the Tax Information Line.

• Child-related budget (kindgebonden budget)

  If you only get a child-related budget (kindgebonden budget) and no other benefits, let the Sociale Verzekeringsbank (Social Insurance Bank, SVB) know that you are being detained. You don’t need to inform us about this.

  You will continue to receive the budget as long as you also receive child benefit (kinderbijslag) from the SVB. If you no longer receive child benefit, you will also lose the right to the child-related budget.