Disablement expenditure decreasing fast

In the first quarter of 2006 the social security funds paid out more than 2.0 billion euro in disablement benefits. Compared to the first quarter of 2005 the benefits decreased by 138 million euro, which constitutes a 6.3 percent decrease. This is more than in the first quarter of 2005, when benefits decreased by 3.8 percent.

Expenditure on disablement benefits, first quarter

Less disablement benefits

The disablement benefits (WAO) fell by 140 million euro compared to the first quarter of 2005. This is due to changes in the law (Wet Verbetering Poortwachter and Schattingsbesluit 2004). The later is a measure imposing more stringent retesting of claimants aged under 50 jaar. The number of disablement benefits (WAO) fell by almost 15 thousand to about 685 thousand in the first quarter.

Stagnating influx

Furthermore, the influx into the WAO disablement benefits stagnated because newly disabled people come under the Employment and income according to labour capacity act (WIA), which succeeds the WAO as per 1 januari 2006.
In the first quarter of 2006 some 8 million euro were paid in WIA benefits. AImost 4 thousand people now claim WIA benefits, of whom a fifth claimed benefits under its IVA provision for fully disabled people and four fifths claimed under its WGA provision for the partially employable.

6 million euro less in WAZ-uitkeringen

In the first quarter of 2006 the expenditure on the Self-employed persons disablement benefits act (WAZ) totalled 103 million euro, 6 million euro less than in the first quarter of 2005. The decrease is due to the abolition of the WAZ per 1 August 2004. Self-employed people now have to decide to take ot private insurance against disablement. The number of WAZ benefits fell in the first quarter of 2006 by 2.4 percent to over 51 thousand. These benefits are still paid on the basis of the old provision.

Expenditure on benefits based on the Self-employed persons disablement benefits act (WAZ), first quarter

Chie-Yong Lai