Special assistance
Housing, clothing, food and drink. These are universal expenses However, you may also find yourself faced with additional expenses. If your income is insufficient to pay for these yourself, you can apply for special assistance. For example, you may need to pay a legal expert or administrator, or an unexpected development may result in additional expenses. This is explained in the following video.
For whom?
Anyone with a low income and limited savings can apply for special assistance. For example:
- If you receive benefits.
- If you have a low pension.
- If you have a low salary.
What is being looked at?
We will look at the level of your income. If you have a high income, you will be able to take care of more expenses yourself. If you have a low income, you will have more difficulty taking care of expenses.
We will also look at your savings.
Single person
Do you have more capital (savings) than € 3.788,-? In that case, you must first use your own money for your special expenses. If any expenses remain after that, we will assess your entitlement to special assistance.
Married or single parent
Do you have more capital (savings) than € 7.575,-? In that case, you must first use your own money for your special expenses. If any expenses remain after that, we will assess your entitlement to special assistance.
What else will we look at?
- This concerns special and necessary expenses. This means you would not normally be faced with these expenses, but you are now. We will in some cases ask a physician or another party whether an expense is necessary.
- You must not be responsible for these expenses having come into being.
- There must be no possible alternative to these expenses. You must not have any other options for reimbursement of these expenses. For example, if your health insurer will pay these expenses, or the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration, you will not receive any special assistance or will receive a smaller amount. If that other organisation believes the expenses to be unnecessary, you will not qualify for special assistance.
- They must be expenses you still need to incur. Apply for the special assistance before you incur the expenses.
Examples of expenses
Below, you will find examples of expenses that may qualify for special assistance. For each application, we will consider your personal situation.
Energy costs
If you have to pay energy costs, those must first and foremost be paid using your income. After all, everyone has to pay energy costs. If you are dealing with necessary additional energy costs due to special circumstances, special assistance for those costs may be possible. For example, you may need to turn up the heater because of an illness. In that case, you can apply for special assistance for the extra costs.
Housing costs
If your income has decreased and you are faced with a high rent or high mortgage payments that you are suddenly unable to pay, you may be eligible for a housing allowance. This is a form of special assistance. In some cases, we may expect you to look for different housing.
Removal expenses
Are you changing address? In that case, we expect you to have saved up for this. In the event that you will be changing address suddenly and unexpectedly, you may be eligible for special assistance for the removal expenses.
Travel expenses
You may suddenly be forced to incur additional travel expenses. For example:
- To visit an ill family member
- To visit a child subject to custodial placement
- To visit a family member in prison
- To go to the IND desk in Zwolle
Administrator expenses
If you have an administrator, you will need to pay special expenses. You can apply for special assistance for this.
Household appliances and furniture
If your refrigerator or washing machine breaks, replacing it will usually cost a considerable amount of money. This is part of your daily expenses, for which you are expected to save money, even if you are on a low income. However, you may have been faced with special circumstances that prevented you from saving up. In that case, you may be entitled to special assistance. If you received an individual income supplement at some point during the past six months, we will assume you will use that money to buy a new appliance.
Shoes and clothing
Special circumstances may present you with a sudden need to buy different clothes and/or shoes without being able to pay for this using your income. For example, this may be due to a sudden increase or decrease in your weight caused by a demonstrable medical condition, or additional clothing wear and tear caused by illness. Special assistance for these costs may in some cases be possible.
Meal allowance/diet expenses
Everyone incurs costs for their meals. If you have no choice but to rely on meal delivery services because of your age or a disability, you may be entitled to special assistance for the extra costs of these meal delivery services. Additional costs consist of the costs you pay for a meal above what you would normally pay, because you are unable to prepare the meal yourself. In some cases, you may, for medical reasons, need to follow a diet that is more expensive than standard food. Special assistance for the additional costs may in some cases be possible.
Funeral expenses
If a family member has passed on and you do not have sufficient funds for a funeral or cremation, you can apply for special assistance. This concerns a reimbursement of the funeral or cremation expenses. Funeral expenses are in principle paid from the estate and/or from the funeral insurance of the deceased person. If this is not possible, these expenses must be paid by the heirs collectively. If you are an heir but are unable to pay your part of the funeral expenses, you can apply for special assistance. You must be an heir to be eligible for reimbursement of funeral expenses. Other conditions apply as well. When determining the reimbursement of funeral expenses, the funeral or cremation will be assumed to be a simple one.
Applying for special assistance whilst receiving benefits
Are you receiving benefits from the City of Leeuwarden? You can apply online for special benefits (with DigiD).
Are you unwilling or unable to apply online?
Download and complete the application form for special benefits for benefit recipients (PDF, 456.34 KB. Send the form to the City of Leeuwarden. You can also hand it in at the Town Hall.
Applying for special assistance without benefits
Are you not receiving benefits from the City of Leeuwarden? You can apply online for special benefits (with DigiD).
Are you unwilling or unable to apply online?
In that case, download and complete the application form for special benefits for people not receiving benefits (PDF, 468.2). Send the form to the City of Leeuwarden. You can also hand it in at the Town Hall.
Review of special assistance for administration expenses
Special assistance for administration (being placed under administration) expenses is granted without a fixed end date. That means that you do not have to reapply for special assistance yearly.
Has the nationally set amount for administrator and guardian fees changed?
If so, we will change it for you automatically. You do not need to report anything to us.
Has the administration regime changed because your situation has changed?
If so, let us know.
Do we need any more information from you?
If so, we will send you a letter. We may need more information from you to determine whether you will receive special assistance for the administration costs. You can arrange this online. Unable or unwilling to arrange this online? If so, contact us.
Does the local authority also carry out checks?
Yes. We may request information from a doctor or other expert to determine whether the costs are actually necessary.
Find out what you are entitled to
Want to know which schemes and allowances you are entitled to? Do the check via the website datgeldtvoormij.
Questions or need help?
Go to your local buurt- of dorpskamer (community centre). Or contact the City of Leeuwarden.
For whom?
Anyone with a low income and limited savings can apply for special assistance. For example:
- If you receive benefits.
- If you have a low pension.
- If you have a low salary.
What is being looked at?
We will look at the level of your income. If you have a high income, you will be able to take care of more expenses yourself. If you have a low income, you will have more difficulty taking care of expenses.
We will also look at your savings.
Single person
Do you have more capital (savings) than € 3.788,-? In that case, you must first use your own money for your special expenses. If any expenses remain after that, we will assess your entitlement to special assistance.
Married or single parent
Do you have more capital (savings) than € 7.575,-? In that case, you must first use your own money for your special expenses. If any expenses remain after that, we will assess your entitlement to special assistance.
What else will we look at?
- This concerns special and necessary expenses. This means you would not normally be faced with these expenses, but you are now. We will in some cases ask a physician or another party whether an expense is necessary.
- You must not be responsible for these expenses having come into being.
- There must be no possible alternative to these expenses. You must not have any other options for reimbursement of these expenses. For example, if your health insurer will pay these expenses, or the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration, you will not receive any special assistance or will receive a smaller amount. If that other organisation believes the expenses to be unnecessary, you will not qualify for special assistance.
- They must be expenses you still need to incur. Apply for the special assistance before you incur the expenses.
Examples of expenses
Below, you will find examples of expenses that may qualify for special assistance. For each application, we will consider your personal situation.
Energy costs
If you have to pay energy costs, those must first and foremost be paid using your income. After all, everyone has to pay energy costs. If you are dealing with necessary additional energy costs due to special circumstances, special assistance for those costs may be possible. For example, you may need to turn up the heater because of an illness. In that case, you can apply for special assistance for the extra costs.
Housing costs
If your income has decreased and you are faced with a high rent or high mortgage payments that you are suddenly unable to pay, you may be eligible for a housing allowance. This is a form of special assistance. In some cases, we may expect you to look for different housing.
Removal expenses
Are you changing address? In that case, we expect you to have saved up for this. In the event that you will be changing address suddenly and unexpectedly, you may be eligible for special assistance for the removal expenses.
Travel expenses
You may suddenly be forced to incur additional travel expenses. For example:
- To visit an ill family member
- To visit a child subject to custodial placement
- To visit a family member in prison
- To go to the IND desk in Zwolle
Administrator expenses
If you have an administrator, you will need to pay special expenses. You can apply for special assistance for this.
Household appliances and furniture
If your refrigerator or washing machine breaks, replacing it will usually cost a considerable amount of money. This is part of your daily expenses, for which you are expected to save money, even if you are on a low income. However, you may have been faced with special circumstances that prevented you from saving up. In that case, you may be entitled to special assistance. If you received an individual income supplement at some point during the past six months, we will assume you will use that money to buy a new appliance.
Shoes and clothing
Special circumstances may present you with a sudden need to buy different clothes and/or shoes without being able to pay for this using your income. For example, this may be due to a sudden increase or decrease in your weight caused by a demonstrable medical condition, or additional clothing wear and tear caused by illness. Special assistance for these costs may in some cases be possible.
Meal allowance/diet expenses
Everyone incurs costs for their meals. If you have no choice but to rely on meal delivery services because of your age or a disability, you may be entitled to special assistance for the extra costs of these meal delivery services. Additional costs consist of the costs you pay for a meal above what you would normally pay, because you are unable to prepare the meal yourself. In some cases, you may, for medical reasons, need to follow a diet that is more expensive than standard food. Special assistance for the additional costs may in some cases be possible.
Funeral expenses
If a family member has passed on and you do not have sufficient funds for a funeral or cremation, you can apply for special assistance. This concerns a reimbursement of the funeral or cremation expenses. Funeral expenses are in principle paid from the estate and/or from the funeral insurance of the deceased person. If this is not possible, these expenses must be paid by the heirs collectively. If you are an heir but are unable to pay your part of the funeral expenses, you can apply for special assistance. You must be an heir to be eligible for reimbursement of funeral expenses. Other conditions apply as well. When determining the reimbursement of funeral expenses, the funeral or cremation will be assumed to be a simple one.
Applying for special assistance whilst receiving benefits
Are you receiving benefits from the City of Leeuwarden? You can apply online for special benefits (with DigiD).
Are you unwilling or unable to apply online?
Download and complete the application form for special benefits for benefit recipients (PDF, 456.34 KB. Send the form to the City of Leeuwarden. You can also hand it in at the Town Hall.
Applying for special assistance without benefits
Are you not receiving benefits from the City of Leeuwarden? You can apply online for special benefits (with DigiD).
Are you unwilling or unable to apply online?
In that case, download and complete the application form for special benefits for people not receiving benefits (PDF, 468.2). Send the form to the City of Leeuwarden. You can also hand it in at the Town Hall.
Review of special assistance for administration expenses
Special assistance for administration (being placed under administration) expenses is granted without a fixed end date. That means that you do not have to reapply for special assistance yearly.
Has the nationally set amount for administrator and guardian fees changed?
If so, we will change it for you automatically. You do not need to report anything to us.
Has the administration regime changed because your situation has changed?
If so, let us know.
Do we need any more information from you?
If so, we will send you a letter. We may need more information from you to determine whether you will receive special assistance for the administration costs. You can arrange this online. Unable or unwilling to arrange this online? If so, contact us.
Does the local authority also carry out checks?
Yes. We may request information from a doctor or other expert to determine whether the costs are actually necessary.
Find out what you are entitled to
Want to know which schemes and allowances you are entitled to? Do the check via the website datgeldtvoormij.
Questions or need help?
Go to your local buurt- of dorpskamer (community centre). Or contact the City of Leeuwarden.