Living allowance for refugees from Ukraine

New rules

The rules for receiving a living allowance have changed. You will find more information about this on the website of the Rijksoverheid (the central government website).

In order to assess whether you are still entitled to receive a living allowance as of February 1, 2023, the municipality needs new infor-mation. For example, about the composition of your family.

What is a family?

A family means an adult person, with his or her partner and minor chil-dren. Have your children reached majority? If so, they should apply for a living allowance for themselves. This also applies to an aunt, grandmother or cousin. Please note that this requires that each adult member has its own bank account.

What items are covered by a living allowance?

The living allowance covers the following items and depends on your situation:

• meals;
• clothing;
• other personal expenses;
• if you are staying at a private shelter address, for example with a host family? If so, you will be receiving a housing allowance so you can contribute to the housekeeping expenses.

Amount

Below are the amounts to which you are entitled. The amounts listed are per person per month.

If you are staying in a municipal shelter facility (hotel)

• The amount for food depends on the size of your family:
  • 1 or 2 persons: € 215,06 per adult or unaccompanied minor and € 178,36 per minor
  • 3 persons: € 171,99 per adult, € 142,57 per minor
  • 4 persons or more: € 150,45 per adult, € 124,97 per minor
• personal expenses: € 56,12

If you are staying at a private shelter facility (such as a host family)

• The amount for food depends on the size of your family:
  • 1 or 2 persons: € 215,06 per adult or unaccompanied minor and € 178,36 per minor
  • 3 persons: € 171,99 per adult, € 142,57 per minor
  • 4 persons or more: € 150,45 per adult, € 124,97 per minor
• personal expenses: € 56,12
• housing allowance: € 93,-

Conditions

In order to be eligible for a living allowance the following must be met:

• You have come to the municipality of Aalsmeer as a refugee from Ukraine.
• You are staying in a municipal shelter facility (hotel) or in a private shelter facility (such as a host family).
• You are registered in the Basic Registration of Persons (BRP). Find more information under the heading 'Registering with the Basic Registration of Persons (BRP)'.
• You have a Dutch bank account. Find out more information under the heading 'Dutch bank account'.
• You are not (yet) receiving earnings from work in the Netherlands or from abroad.
• You do not receive a Dutch benefit.
• You have not been deprived of your freedom and are therefore not staying in a prison.
• You are not a holder of Dutch nationality.
• You fall under the ‘temporary protection’ directive.
• You are submitting your application in English or Dutch (Latin alphabet).

Basic Registration of Persons (BRP)

It is important that you are registered with the Basic Registration of Persons (Basis Registratie Personen, BRP) of the municipality. You will then receive a Citizen Service Number (Burgerservicenummer, BSN). This is needed to open an account and receive the living allowance.

Not registered yet? Call (0297) 38 75 75 to make an appointment (Dutch or English only).

Dutch bank account

You need a Dutch bank account to apply for and receive a living allowance. You can start applying for an account in advance. There is more information in the letter you receive about this. Or look for information about opening a Dutch bank account on the website of RefugeeHelp.

Changes in the place you are living

Are there changes in your residence address? Are you moving to another municipality for example? If so, you should report this to us. You can report changes about your place of residence by email to: sociaalloket@aalsmeer.nl. 

Income from work or a benefit

Are you receiving income from work or do you receive a benefit? If so, please report this to us. This will affect your living allowance. You can report changes in your income by email to: sociaalloket@aalsmeer.nl.

Application

You can apply for the living allowance online. Start the application by clicking on the button below.

You will need the following documents:

• a copy of your proof of identity;
• are you also applying for a living allowance for your family members? If so, copies of your family members' proofs of identity are also required;
• a copy of your Dutch bank account showing your account number and name;
• specification regarding your earnings.

Help with applications

Fill out the application in English or Dutch (Latin alphabet). The Refugee Council can help you with this:

• Are you staying in a municipal shelter facility? Then you can request for help at the consultation hours.
• Are you staying in a private shelter, such as a host family? If so, you can request help by sending an email to: oekraine@aalsmeer.nl. 

Please note: on the application form you can read in Ukrainian what information the municipality needs from you. However, do not fill out the fields in Ukrainian or Russian (no Cyrillic or Russian alphabet).

Time frame for expected answer

You will receive an answer to your application as soon as possible.

Contact information

Should you have any questions, please contact the municipality. You can do this by calling (0297) 38 75 75 (Dutch or English only), from Mondays to Fridays between 8.30 am and 5 pm. Or send an email to: sociaalloket@aalsmeer.nl. 

More information

• Information about the living allowance in Dutch
• All information about Ukraine on the website of the Municipality of Aalsmeer

Related questions

I have applied for a living allowance, but my situation changed. What should I do now?

Please report any changes in your income or residence by email to: sociaalloket@aalsmeer.nl. If you do not report these changes, you may have to return the living allowance because you are no longer eligible.

I am hosting Ukrainian refugees. I receive social assistance benefits. Will the amount of my allowances and municipal taxes change?

The 'cost-sharing norm’ does not apply if you are on social assistance and are hosting refugees. It is not yet known what the consequences will be for benefits (for example housing allowance) and municipal taxes. (The 'cost-sharing norm’ means that costs can be shared if you live together with others).