News item | 23-04-2025 | 8:11 AM
The House of Representatives has agreed to the Balance Participation Act in Balance. The bill contains more than twenty measures to simplify and improve the short -term law. It is a first step towards a fundamental revision of the Participation Act.
The cabinet wants to go to an understandable law that works for people, based on trust and with an eye for the human dimension. With the aim that more people from the Participation Act can go to work faster. And if that doesn’t work yet, people can participate in society in a different way. That is good for themselves, society and support for social assistance.
Stimulate work
The measures are aimed, among other things, to making work more attractive in addition to benefits, such as uniforming extra income limits when people start working in addition to the benefit. And the buffer budget, which means that fluctuations can be collected from work through changing income. This gives people more financial security if they go to work in addition to their benefits. It is also easier for people to request social assistance benefits.
Language requirement
The language requirement remains in the Participation Act. State Secretary Nobel believes it is important that municipalities focus on controlling the Dutch language. This increases the opportunities for work. From 2027, municipalities receive additional resources for offering language education. This is stated in the spring memorandum of the cabinet. The focus is on new intake and beneficiaries who benefit from a language offer.
Introduction in steps
Municipalities are given the space to take the bill in the Balance Balance in steps. Together with, among others, the Association of Dutch Municipalities (VNG), the government looks at the period of introduction per measure. The commitment is that the first measures can take effect on January 1, 2026. This also depends on the handling of the law by the Senate.