The Dutch housing allowance, known as huurtoeslag, is a monthly subsidy from the Benefits Service (Dienst Toeslagen) that lowers what you effectively pay in rent. To qualify in 2026 you must be at least 18, live legally in the Netherlands, be registered at a qualifying rental address, and stay under set income and asset limits. You apply online through Mijn Toeslagen with your DigiD, and the money lands in your Dutch bank account each month. This is the practical guide to the housing allowance in the Netherlands as it works in 2026.
What Changed in 2026
Two shifts matter before you start an application. First, the rent ceiling that used to exclude anyone paying above roughly €880 per month is gone. You can apply no matter how high your rent is. The calculation itself, however, is capped: the benefit is worked out on rent up to €932.93 per month if you are 21 or older, and up to €498.20 if you are under 21.1Dienst Toeslagen. Huurtoeslag verandert vanaf 2026 Pay €1,200 in rent and the Benefits Service still treats your rent as €932.93 for the math.
Second, service costs no longer count. Charges for shared cleaning, a caretaker, or communal energy used to add up to €48 to the rent figure used in the calculation. From 2026, only the bare rent (kale huur) is used.1Dienst Toeslagen. Huurtoeslag verandert vanaf 2026
Who Qualifies
You need to be 18 or older, and you need Dutch citizenship or a residence permit that allows you to live here legally.2Government of the Netherlands. Applying for housing benefit You also need to be registered at your rental address in the municipal records (Basisregistratie Personen), because that is the database the Benefits Service checks.
Income matters, but there is no single cutoff. The higher your income, the smaller the benefit, and at some point it drops to zero. Where that point falls depends on your rent, your age, and whether you have a benefit partner. The figure used is your “toetsingsinkomen” (means-tested income), which is close to your gross income and sometimes slightly higher.3Dienst Toeslagen. Your income is not too high for rent benefit
Asset Limits for 2026
Your savings, investments, and other assets are measured on January 1 of the benefit year and cannot exceed:
- €38,479 if you have no benefit partner
- €76,958 combined with a benefit partner
Every person in the household whose assets are counted must individually stay under €38,479, and partners are assessed together at the joint limit.4Dienst Toeslagen. Kan ik huurtoeslag krijgen
Who Counts as Your Benefit Partner
A spouse or registered partner is automatically your toeslagpartner. Even without marriage or registration, someone else at your address becomes your benefit partner if any of the following applies:
- You have a notarized cohabitation contract together.
- You share a child, or one of you has legally recognized the other’s child.
- One of you is listed as a partner in the other’s pension arrangement.
- You co-own the home you both live in.
- One of you has a child under 18 registered at the same address, and no more than two adults are registered there.
You can only have one benefit partner. If more than one criterion could apply to different people, the first one on the list wins.5Dienst Toeslagen. Toeslagpartner voor de toeslagen Subtenants, Ukrainian refugees, and au pairs with a contract are specifically excluded.
Which Rentals Qualify
The property side matters as much as the personal side. Your home must be an independent living space, with:
- A private entrance that locks from both inside and outside
- A private kitchen with a sink, water supply, drainage, and a stove connection
- A private toilet with a water flush
- A private shower or bathroom with water supply and drainage (required since March 1, 2024)
If you share a toilet, kitchen, or bathroom with other tenants, the home is not independent and does not qualify.6Dienst Toeslagen. Which types of homes qualify for rent benefit and which do not
There are limited exceptions. A unit that only shares a front door, hallway, stairwell, or elevator with other tenants can still count as independent, as long as the inside of the unit meets the criteria. Student rooms in shared houses generally do not qualify, with a narrow exception for units approved for rent benefit before July 1, 1997. For supported housing, group homes, and elderly care residences, the landlord or care institution can request that a non-self-contained unit be formally designated as eligible.6Dienst Toeslagen. Which types of homes qualify for rent benefit and which do not
How to Apply
Applications go through Mijn Toeslagen on the Belastingdienst website. You will need:
- Your DigiD for logging in.
- Your BSN (Citizen Service Number), assigned when you register with your municipality. A partner or child factored into the application also needs a BSN.
- Your rental agreement, so you can enter the bare monthly rent. Service costs no longer belong in this figure.
- A Dutch bank account for the payments.
Before submitting, run the trial calculation (proefberekening) on the Belastingdienst website for an estimate of your monthly amount. The tool does not handle every situation, such as a household member who has been away for more than a year or unusual income sources.8Dienst Toeslagen. Proefberekening toeslagen
You can apply for the 2026 benefit year until December 31, 2027, so a retroactive application is still possible if you did not claim right away.7Dienst Toeslagen. I want to apply for a benefit
After You Apply
A decision usually arrives within five weeks. If the Benefits Service needs more information or the case is complicated, it can take up to 13 weeks.9Dienst Toeslagen. Ik heb toeslag aangevraagd – wanneer hoor ik iets
Once approved, payments arrive around the 20th of the month for the following month’s rent, shifting by a day or two with the calendar. In 2026, for instance, the June payment is on May 20, the July payment on June 22, and the October payment on September 21.10Dienst Toeslagen. Betaaldatums toeslagen The benefit continues automatically each year as long as you still meet the conditions.
Keeping the Benefit Correct
Monthly payments run on estimates. If something changes, update Mijn Toeslagen. Changes that matter include a rise or fall in income, a new housemate or partner, a rent increase, and a move.7Dienst Toeslagen. I want to apply for a benefit
After the benefit year ends, the Benefits Service runs a final calculation (definitieve berekening) with your actual income, usually after July 1 of the following year. Earn more than you estimated and you may owe money back; earn less and you may get a top-up.11Dienst Toeslagen. Definitieve berekening van mijn toeslagen
From 2026 the government no longer charges or pays assessment interest (heffingsrente) on the difference between the provisional and final amounts. Collection interest (invorderingsrente) still applies if you owe money and pay late.11Dienst Toeslagen. Definitieve berekening van mijn toeslagen If new income data appears after the final calculation, the Benefits Service can recalculate for up to five years after the benefit year. Keeping your estimated income current through the year is the simplest way to avoid a repayment surprise.
If You Disagree With a Decision
If your application is denied or the amount looks wrong, you can file a formal objection (bezwaar). The deadline is six weeks from the date on the decision letter.12Dienst Toeslagen. Bezwaar maken tegen een beslissing over uw toeslag Miss that window and the right to challenge that decision is gone.
Put the objection in writing with your name, address, BSN, the reference number of the decision, and a clear explanation of what you disagree with and why. You can submit by post or through the Benefits Service’s digital portal. Send copies rather than originals of any supporting documents, and write your BSN on every page.