Decrease in welfare benefits tapering off

• Down one percent
• Increase in short-term benefits
• Decrease among men stagnating

The number of welfare benefits paid to people under 65 fell to 271 thousand in the first quarter of 2008. Compared to 31 December 2007 this is a decrease of 3 thousand benefits. The decrease in the number of welfare benefits has been tapering off during the last six months, according to the figures by Statistics Netherlands.

The number of welfare benefits fell by over 25 thousand benefits compared to 31 March 2007. However, the decrease has clearly been tapering off since September 2007. In the third quarter of 2007 there was a  3.3 percent decrease in welfare benefits. In the fourth quarter the decrease was 2.0 percent, and this was reduced to 1.1 percent in the first quarter of 2008.

Despite the downward trend, the number of short-term benefits increased. The number of welfare benefits lasting less than one year increased by almost 3 percent in the first quarter of 2008. In the third quarter of 2007 there was an almost 7 percent decrease.

The largest decrease in the number of welfare benefits in the first quarter of 2008 is among women, namely 1.6 percent. The decrease among men in the first quarter of 2008 came to 0.4 percent. The share of young men to the age of 25 even showed a small increase in the first quarter.