Special wellfare

Special assistance is for things that you really need, but that you cannot afford yourself. You can receive special assistance if you have benefits or a minimum income.

For example, you can request it for the replacement of your broken washing machine, lawyer costs or school costs for the children. The municipality determines whether you will receive special assistance. Each municipality has its own rules for this.

Anyone with a low income and little wealth can apply for special assistance. So not only if you are on benefits, but also if you earn the minimum wage or have a state pension, for example.

You can apply for special assistance if you have a low income. This income may be higher than a benefit. How high your income may be depends on your age and personal circumstances. The following amounts show how high your income may be.

• € 1,363.06 – singles
• € 1,752.49 – single parents
• € 1,947.22 – married/cohabiting

These amounts are net per month, without holiday pay.

Apply digitally

You can request special assistance digitally. You need a DigiD for this. At the end of the application form you can see which supporting documents you need to add to submit the application. This can be different per application and per person. In any case, make sure that you have the following items (digitally) at hand when you fill out the form.

• pay slips or benefit specifications
• quotation(s)
• Bank statements
• health insurance policy
• allowances and/or provisional refund tax authorities

You can also send the documents to your contact person at Work & Income afterwards. Digitally or by post. Tip: make sure that the photos/screen shots of the pieces are clearly legible.

We ask about the income and assets of yourself, your partner and children aged 18 or older living at home. Have you recently provided this information for social assistance benefit or another application for special assistance? Then you don't have to pass it on again. Do you have a partner? Then you must apply for special assistance together. Your partner must also log in with his/her DigiD.

Applying for special assistance digitally >

Request in writing

You can also submit a paper application.

Request special assistance in writing >

Print out the form and fill it in by hand.

Processing your application will take a maximum of 8 weeks. The period runs from the moment we have received all supporting documents. If the municipality decides that you receive special assistance, the amount will be deposited into your account or transferred directly to the company where you ordered/purchased the product.

Has your application been rejected and you do not agree? Then you can object digitally within 6 weeks. Note: you must log in with your DigiD.

Fill in the objection form >

Special assistance is for everything you really need and cannot pay from your own income or your assets. What is really needed differs per person and per situation. That is why it is not possible to make a list containing everything for which you can apply for special assistance. It is also not possible to say in advance whether you will receive the special assistance you request. The legality consultant will look at this if you have submitted an application.

Below are a few examples of things for which you can apply for special assistance. Can't find what you need? If you receive benefits, please contact the legality consultant. Do you not have a benefit? Then call 14 013.

Examples for which you can apply for special assistance

• Special assistance is not possible for ordinary daily things, such as food, clothing, a passport, fine or alimony. Not even for insurance, health insurance or outstanding accounts with the tax authorities. These are costs that you have to pay from your income or benefits.

• Medical costs for which you cannot apply for special assistance are:
  • Glasses (glasses) and contact lenses
  • Alternative cure;
  • Medical cannabis
  • Diet preparations
  • Dietary Advice
  • Medicines
  • Dental assistance (incl. orthodontics)
  • Hearing aids incl. batteries
  • Travel costs for medical treatments
  • Psychotherapy
  • Physiotherapy and exercise therapy
  • IVF treatments
  • Delivery costs
  • Daycare
  • Body treatments
  • Medical devices and examinations
  • Accommodation costs home
  • patient transport
  • Deductible health insurance
  • Mental healthcare
  • Pedicure and manicure

Please note: this list is subject to change.

• healthcare costs

You cannot apply for special assistance for the costs that are not reimbursed by your health insurance. You can take out additional insurance for this. For residents with a low income, there is a collective health insurance policy from CZ or VGZ. Then you are well insured with a discount. In addition to the discount that everyone receives, the municipality also pays part of the premium. So participating means paying less for more care! For more information see Health insurance – Municipality of Tilburg. When in doubt, it is best to simply submit an application. The municipality will investigate the necessity and assess whether or not you are entitled.

Have you been told that you will not receive special assistance for medical costs? And will this get you in trouble because your health insurance doesn't reimburse them and you don't have enough income? Then you may be able to receive compensation through the Tilburg Support Fund (TOF). The TOF is for residents of the municipality of Tilburg who find themselves in financial difficulties due to unexpected, but necessary costs. As a result, they may live or risk falling below the poverty line. Causes of this are, for example, new legislation, unexpected events or because it is difficult to find work. You can read more about TOF here: Tilburg Support Fund – ContourdeTwern. Are you a resident of the municipality of Tilburg? And you want your financial support? Then ask your care provider if he or she would like to make an application for you. Don't have a counselor? Call the Advice Point on 013 549 86 46. Or email to adviespunt@contourdetwern.nl. You can also contact your contact person at the municipality of Tilburg. The contact person can possibly provide a referral to TOF. Don't have a contact person? Then call 140 13.

We check per person whether there is a right to special assistance and how much that is. Each municipality has its own rules for this. It is therefore often difficult to say in advance whether or not you can receive special assistance. The main conditions are:

• You have a low income and little wealth.
• You have incurred necessary costs in a special situation. For example, you will not receive special assistance for normal costs, such as groceries and rent.
• You incurred the costs in the Netherlands.
• You cannot get the costs reimbursed from another scheme.

We look at your situation. We do this by requesting papers with more information about the costs, we look at bank statements and we sometimes make an appointment to come and have a look at your home. Based on all this information, we determine whether you will receive special assistance.

We advise you to always submit the application when in doubt.

If you do not have a benefit or an IOAW benefit, we calculate your capacity. This is the amount of your income with which you can legally pay your special costs yourself. Your income and your own money (assets) are taken into account. Are the costs for which you are applying for special assistance higher than your ability to pay? Then you may receive special assistance.

In many cases, the special assistance is a gift. This means that you do not have to repay the amount to us.

Sometimes it is a loan. You will eventually have to pay the amount back. There may be a loan if:

• The application could have been prevented. For example, you had money to buy a refrigerator, but you used the money for something else. Something you didn't really need.
• You need special assistance through your own fault. For example, if you have caused your refrigerator to break down.
• You eventually get the money back from another source, for example a deposit.

We take depreciation periods into account for durable consumer goods (such as furniture and white goods). Example: we assume that you can last 10 years with a new refrigerator. If the refrigerator breaks down much sooner, you may get a loan. Please note: make sure that you do not dispose of the broken items before we have been able to assess the application. Otherwise you may not receive any special assistance at all.

Special assistance for consumer durables is provided as standard in the form of a loan. It is a gift if:

• You have had a minimum income (social assistance level) for more than three years and can also demonstrate this.
• If you are in a debt process with debt counseling or legal debt restructuring. More about debt > 
• If you have already used your money for other necessary goods. You must be able to demonstrate this.

These exceptions do not apply if you need special assistance through your own fault.

We can imagine that you could use some help filling out the application form. Please contact the Forms help from ContourdeTwern and Humanitas. There are also many other organizations that can help you. Look at the social map of the municipality of Tilburg > 

All help is free and in most cases you will be helped quickly.

The Forms Help of ContourdeTwern and Humanitas can help you with:

• Request special assistance
• Applying for collective health insurance for minimum wages (CZM)
• Applying for a municipal tax waiver
• Request student transport
• Apply for Participation Scheme
• Applying for housing allowance, child budget and healthcare allowance

You can contact the Smeetskring for help with your income tax return. Visit the website of the Smeetskring >

Sometimes the special assistance is not a one-off. In some cases, you will receive monthly assistance for a longer period. For example for a year. As with the costs of the personal contribution to the CAK. We will conduct a 're-examination' to determine whether you are still entitled to special assistance after this year. We will then check whether things have changed in your situation. We then ask you, and possibly your administrator, a number of questions and request certain information. Has everything stayed the same and in order? Then you will receive the special assistance again the following year.

Do you want to calculate yourself what you are entitled to at the municipality of Tilburg? Go to the website Calculate your entitlement. Visit the website Calculate your entitlement > . Here you can enter your details and make a calculation.