The healthcare allowance is a financial allowance, intended to compensate people with a (relatively) low income for their healthcare costs. The health care allowance is awarded by the tax authorities.

You can calculate and apply for your personal health care allowance via the tax authorities (apply link below). When you receive healthcare allowance, you will receive this once a month (around the 20th) into your bank account from the Tax Authorities.

When am I entitled to healthcare allowance?

In order to be eligible for health care allowance, you must initially meet a number of basic conditions:

• You are 18 years or older
  
• You have Dutch healthcare insurance
  
• You have Dutch nationality, EU nationality or a valid residence permit
  
• In addition, there are requirements regarding your income and assets.

Income limits health care allowance (2022)

There are two threshold incomes for eligibility for health care allowance, namely those for singles and partners:

Single: a maximum income of €31,998

Allowance partners: maximum €40,944

You are not eligible for health care allowance if your income exceeds these threshold incomes.

Do you have an allowance partner or not?

You are usually an allowance partner if you are married, live together in a house or have signed a cohabitation contract. If you are not sure whether you have an allowance partner, you can determine this via the website of the Tax Authorities.

Which income counts?

The annual income with which the tax authorities calculate is called the assessment income. Do you file an income tax return? In that case, the aggregate income (yours and possibly your partner's) is the qualifying income.

The assessed income comes down to the total of the gross salary, deduction schemes, pension and certain benefits, such as the AOW benefit. In other words, the total income from box 1, 2 and 3 of the income tax.

Maximum savings/assets (2022)

There are two limits for eligibility for health care allowance, namely for singles and partners:

Single person: maximum €120.020

With allowance partner: maximum €151.767

How much health care allowance will I receive?

The amount of healthcare allowance you are entitled to depends on your annual income and your family situation. It is between €0 to €2.532 per year.

How can I apply for health care allowance?

You can calculate and apply for your personal healthcare allowance for free via the website of the Tax Authorities. During the application, you will first be asked a number of questions, namely about your age, income, assets and family situation. You can then submit the application.

Good to know:

Your healthcare allowance will continue after it has been applied for. Re-applying is not necessary.

If necessary, you can also apply for health care allowance (with retroactive effect) for the previous year. This must be done before September 1 of the following year. Suppose you still want to receive healthcare allowance before 2021: then you must have applied for this before 1 September 2022.