Increase social security recipients after 4 years of decline

• 1.7 percent increase in first quarter 2009
• More young male recipients

At the end of March this year, 263 thousand persons were living on social security, an increase by 4 thousand relative to the end of 2008. For the first time since the first quarter of 2005, the number of social security benefits to persons under the age of 65 has grown. The most recent figures released by Statistics Netherlands indicate that the increase began in January 2009.

The number of social security benefits has risen by 1.7 percent relative to the end of 2008. Broken down by gender, the increase among men and women was 3.6 and 0.3 percent respectively. With nearly 19 percent, the most substantial increase was recorded in the category men under the age of 25.

Short-term benefits entirely accounted for the increase in social security benefits to people younger than 65. The number of short-term benfits with a duration period of less than 1 year rose by more than 4.5 thousand, i.e. nearly 10 percent in the first quarter of 2009. The total number of long-term benefits remained all but stable.

The number of social security benefits declined by nearly 3 percent compared to one year previously. At the end of March 2008, the number of benefits was 271 thousand, nearly 8 thousand more than at the end of March 2009.

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