Unemployment holds steady, but welfare claims continue to rise

The unemployment rate in the Netherlands held steady at 4,0 percent in August 2026, according to new figures by the national statistics agency (CBS). However, beneath the stable headline figure lies a gradual, multi-year rise in both overall joblessness and long-term welfare dependency.

Unemployment holds flat while job growth stalls in the Netherlands

According to the latest figures by CBS, 408.000 people were registered as unemployed in August 2026, keeping the overall unemployment rate at 4,0 percent, the same level as July, after rising from 3,8 percent in June.

Over the past three months, the number of unemployed individuals grew by an average of 3.000 per month, while paid employment edged down by 1.000 per month to hover around 9,8 million.

Short-term benefit claims also experienced a minor uptick. Employee insurance agency UWV registered 194.800 active unemployment benefits (WW-uitkeringen) at the end of August, marking a 1,4 percent increase compared to July.

Overall joblessness in the country has been creeping upward since early 2023, when the number of unemployed individuals sat at 343.000.

Welfare claims rise for 12th consecutive quarter

While monthly unemployment figures show relative stability, broader economic data points to a steady increase in long-term safety net claims. At the end of the second quarter of 2026, 413.000 people below the state pension age were receiving municipal welfare (bijstand), 4.000 more than a year earlier, according to CBS. This marks the 12th consecutive quarter of year-on-year growth, though total claims remain slightly below pre-pandemic levels.

The increase in welfare dependency spans all age brackets, but the sharpest rise is among young adults. The number of under-27s receiving welfare climbed by 5,7 percent year-on-year to 44.000 in Q2 2026, representing a 27 percent increase since late 2022.

By comparison, claims among those aged 45 to the pension age grew by just 0,2 percent, while claims for people aged 27 to 45 edged up by 0,8 percent.