High proportion of benefit recipients in provinces of Limburg and Groningen

The number of people relying on social security varies widely across the Dutch provinces. Proportionally, municipalities situated in the east of Groningen and the south of Limburg have the highest numbers of people receiving unemployment, income support or disability benefits.

Benefit recipient rate high in east of the country

In municipalities in the north-east of Groningen and the south-east of Limburg, a relatively high proportion in the population receive unemployment, income support or disability benefits compared to municipalities elsewhere in the Netherlands. The rate is exceptionally high in the municipalities of Heerlen and Kerkrade, where over 20 percent of 15 to 65-year-olds received benefits in June 2010. The number of benefit recipients is relatively low in the Randstad region. With less than 5 percent, the lowest rate is recorded in the municipalities of Graafstroom and Liesveld in the province of South Holland.

Municipalities where the number of recipients of unemployment, income support and disability benefits is above average (more than 23, 35 and 70 per 1,000 respectively), June 2010

Many people on income support in major cities

The proportion of income support claimants is above average in the major cities and at the edges of the country, i.e. the north-east of the province of Groningen and in the province of Limburg. The municipality of Rotterdam - where 92 in every 1,000 people aged between 15 and 65 receive income support benefits - constitutes an exception.

Municipalities where the number of recipients of income support benefits is above average (more than 35 per 1,000), June 2010

High disability rate Limburg

Municipalities with high rates of people receiving disability benefits are mostly found in the east of the Netherlands and in the province of in North Holland. Nationwide, 70 in every 1,000 people in the 15-65 age bracket received disability benefits in June 2010 versus 122 in every 1,000 in the municipality of Brunssum in the south of Limburg.

Municipalities where the number of recipients of disability benefits is above average (more than 70 per 1,000), June 2010

Miriam de Roos and Rolf Hut