Huurtoeslag: Your guide to rent allowance in the Netherlands

Learn about huurtoeslag, who is eligible, and how to apply for housing allowance in the Netherlands.

Ivandzhelin

4 minute read

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Updated on 9 Aug 2024

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Renting

Huurtoeslag, or rent allowance, is a housing benefit in the Netherlands for residents with lower income to help them cover their rent. Given the cost of renting, the housing allowance helps make the cost of living in the Netherlands more affordable.

Read on to learn about the requirements for rent allowance in the Netherlands, how much you can be reimbursed, who is eligible for huurtoeslag, and whether you need to pay it back.

Every resident of the Netherlands who complies with the following conditions is eligible for housing benefit:

• You’re older than 18
• You’re registered in the Netherlands and have a social security number (BSN)
• You have a valid EU/EEA/Swiss passport or a Dutch residence/work permit
• Your income and assets don’t exceed the requirements (see below)
• Your base rent is under €879.66 monthly
• You have a Dutch bank account
• You’re renting an independent living space (see below)
• You have a valid rental agreement stating that you’re the main tenant, not a sub-tenant

Rental requirements

To be able to receive a housing allowance in the Netherlands, your base rent can’t be higher than €879.66 monthly. This amount can vary depending on your age and whether you have kids. If you’re:

• between 18 and 23, with no kids: €454.47
• between 18 and 22, with kids: €879.66
• older than 23 years old: €879.66

This is the amount of your base rent, meaning that this is just the rent you pay for the property, excluding utility costs like gas, water, and electricity. However, service costs can be included in the €879.66. These costs are for maintenance of the common areas, cleaning and energy costs, and the building manager, with a maximum of €12 per month for each type of service cost. The split of the costs between the tenant and the landlord has to be outlined in the rental agreement.

Housing requirements

To be eligible for housing allowance in the Netherlands, your rental must be considered an independent living space (zelfstandige woonruimte). An independent living space needs to have the following as of March 2024:

• a private toilet and bathroom/shower
• own living room/bedroom
• a private kitchen with a sink and electrical/gas outlet
• a private entrance door with a lock

This means that all studios or apartments are typically independent living spaces. If you’re a student or young professional with a room in a shared apartment, then unfortunately you won’t be eligible for rental allowance.

Income requirements

Your housing allowance is determined based on your gross annual income, including alimony and holiday pay. Generally, the more you earn, the fewer housing benefits you’ll receive. The income requirements also depend on whether you have a co-resident, a child, or a fiscal partner. For example, are you part of a one-income or two-income household?

Additionally, any assets you have influence the amount of rental allowance you receive. Depending on whether you have a fiscal partner, the assets limit can be between €36,952 (no partner) and €73,904 (combined with a partner). Your assets have to be within this limit on January 1 of the year you're applying for, otherwise you aren't eligible for Huurtoeslag.

You can use this rental allowance calculator to check if you’re eligible for huurtoeslag.

Can international students get a rent allowance in the Netherlands?

One of the perks of studying in the Netherlands is that international students can get a rental allowance, too. The same requirements apply to you: you must rent an independent living space, be older than 18, be registered at the municipality, the value of your assets should be lower than €36,952 and have a valid EU passport or Dutch residence permit.

Generally, student dorms (studentcomplex) are considered independent living spaces only if the complex was eligible for huurtoeslag prior to 1st July 1997. You can ask your landlord about the status of the property.

The rent allowance varies depending on income, property type, fiscal partners, and children. For example, if your rent is €700 and you earn the minimum salary in the Netherlands of €2,371 monthly, then you will get a rental allowance of €195 per month. Generally, the higher your rent is and the lower your income, the more rental allowance you can receive.

Before you start applying, make sure you’re registered with the municipality and know your income and base rent, as you’ll need that information. Also, activate your MijnOverheid, as you’ll receive the confirmation letter in your message box.

You can apply online on the Dutch tax authorities website.

1. Log in on Mijn Toeslagen (My allowances) with your DigiD. You’ll see a list of the 4 social benefits you can receive in the Netherlands.
2. Select the Huurtoeslag option and click on “to request” (aanvragen) to apply.
3. Choose the date from which you want your rental allowance to start. The date should be the first date of your contract.
4. Answer the questions about personal information, like your income and whether you have a fiscal partner or debt.
5. Submit the form.
6. Wait for the confirmation and see how much your allowance for 2024.

You can expect your rental allowance around the 20th of every month.

You can retroactively request Huurtoeslag until September 1 of the following year, if you forgot or didn't know about it.

Rent allowance in the Netherlands is a subsidy, so you don’t have to pay the housing benefit back. The only case in which you might have to pay back the housing benefit is if you fail to report housing or income changes, which result in a lower allowance.

For example, you’re promoted at work while receiving the housing benefit. Your promotion has been active since May, but you only updated the change in income on the Dutch tax authorities’ website in September. The new evaluation shows that you’re supposed to receive a lower huurtoeslag since your salary is higher. In this case, you’ll need to pay back the excess of the housing allowance you’ve received.

Similarly, if you move, get divorced, or change jobs, you need to update the Dutch tax authorities about it by re-doing your huurtoeslag evaluation. This applies to any social benefit you’re applying for, like the healthcare benefit (zorgtoeslag).

Once you’ve applied for huurtoeslag, you’ll receive approval and an estimate of your allowance within 5 to 13 weeks. You will get a message about it in your message box on MijnOverheid or Mijn Toeslagen.

So there you have everything you need to know about rental allowance in the Netherlands. Now that you know how to apply, sign on to Mijn Toeslagen and get your huurtoeslag.