News item | 21-06-2022 | 17:12
Look after each other. It is not just the title of the current coalition agreement. It is also the idea behind the approach to the Participation Act that Minister Schouten is presenting today. With her plans, she is taking the first steps towards a law with a more human dimension that leads to what it says: participation.
May receive gifts within reason. In addition to the benefit for a longer period, earn some extra money as a stepping stone to work. Claim a budget to supplement fluctuating earnings each month. Facilitate data sharing so that people don’t have to share their data over and over again. These are some of the proposals that Minister Schouten is making today in her ‘Balance Participation Act’ policy plan.
The reason is the current Participation Act, with the aim of participating in society and where possible in the labor market, which has become unbalanced over the years. “When it comes to helping people on welfare, we have focused too much on how it should be done instead of how it can be done. With the best of intentions, we have drafted a law that is too strict. It was based on a rationally calculating citizen who oversees everything. But complex rules make that very difficult, which sometimes works out hard in practice.”
Fine on compassion a thing of the past
Minister Schouten started looking at the law with a different view of man. With in hand an extensive analysis of the law that has been carried out in the past year in collaboration with trade unions, employers, municipalities and welfare recipients themselves. The report shows that both professionals and those entitled to social assistance sometimes find the law difficult. Rules that are too strict can make the life of someone on welfare quite complicated.
“There are many obligations that you have to meet. And help from friends and family is punished, a so-called fine for compassion,” says Schouten. “Offering help yourself by offering temporary shelter to someone in need can also have consequences for your benefit. Just like providing care. If it is no longer possible to look after each other, it will become a very cold society. So it’s time for adjustment, so that the human dimension returns and everyone can participate to the best of their ability.”