If you are searching for the Netherlands healthcare allowance zorgtoeslag 2026 partners amount, the short answer is that a household with a toeslagpartner can receive up to around €246 a month in 2026, which is roughly €2,952 across the year, while a single person can receive up to around €129 a month, about €1,548 a year.
Both figures are slightly lower than in 2025, while the income limits moved up. That combination means some households on very low incomes receive a little less, and some households slightly above last year's cut-off now qualify for a small amount.
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The 2026 Figures at a Glance
| Situation | Maximum per month | Maximum per year | Income limit |
| Single, no toeslagpartner | Around €129 | Around €1,548 | €40,857 |
| With a toeslagpartner | Around €246 | Around €2,952 | €51,142 combined |
The income limits are confirmed by the Dutch tax authority: you can receive zorgtoeslag in 2026 if your annual income does not exceed €40,857, and if you have a toeslagpartner your joint income must not exceed €51,142. There is also an asset limit measured on 1 January 2026, reported in the region of €146,011 for a single person and €184,633 with a toeslagpartner, although published figures vary between sources, so check your own position on the official site before relying on them.
Two other things to note. The maximum amounts fell by about €2 a month for single people and €4 a month for households with a partner compared with 2025. And the allowance is normally paid around the 20th of each month, in advance for the month ahead.
What a Toeslagpartner Actually Means
This is the part most people get wrong, and it changes the number you receive.
A toeslagpartner is a specific legal status, not simply anyone you live with. A married partner or registered partner counts automatically. A housemate, a sibling or a friend you share a flat with, without a formal relationship or qualifying registration, is not a toeslagpartner.
Why it matters: if you do have a toeslagpartner, the tax authority adds both incomes together and tests them against the higher joint limit of €51,142. That can mean a couple receives nothing while each person individually would have qualified. It also means the maximum amount you can receive as a household is the partner figure of roughly €246 a month rather than two separate single allowances.
If your living situation changes during the year, through marriage, registration, a move or a separation, tell the tax authority promptly. Allowances are paid as advances and reconciled later, so an unreported change usually turns into a repayment demand.
Who Can Claim It
The core conditions are straightforward: you must be 18 or over, you must have Dutch basic health insurance (basisverzekering), and your income and assets must fall under the limits. You also need a valid residence status.
For international students this is the crucial filter. Many non-working international students in the Netherlands are not required to take Dutch basic health insurance and instead carry an EHIC or a private policy, and without Dutch basic insurance there is no entitlement to zorgtoeslag. Students who take a part-time job, however, often become obliged to take Dutch basic insurance, and at that point the allowance usually becomes available and is worth claiming immediately.
A useful detail for students: Dutch study finance does not count towards your assessment income. Income from a part-time job does.
How to Apply
You apply online through Mijn Toeslagen on the Belastingdienst website using DigiD, so arranging your DigiD is the first practical step after you register with your municipality. You will need your personal details, your income estimate for the year, your bank details and your insurance information.
The allowance is paid monthly, and you can run a trial calculation (proefberekening) on the same site before applying, which takes a few minutes and tells you the amount you would receive. Estimate your income honestly rather than optimistically, because the reconciliation at the end of the year will find the difference either way.
If you are also looking at housing support, the rent allowance is a separate scheme with its own rules, and our guides to government housing support for international students in the Netherlands and whether international students can access government housing support cover that side.
How Much You Will Really Get
The maximum is not the norm. Zorgtoeslag works on a sliding scale: the closer your income is to the limit, the smaller the payment, and the reduction is not a simple flat rate per €1,000 earned. Households on the lowest incomes receive the full amount, while someone earning in the mid-thirties of thousands may receive only a token sum.
This is why the trial calculation matters more than the headline figure. Budget on your calculated amount, not on €246.
Why This Matters for Your Budget
For a student household in an expensive city, €246 a month is not a rounding error. It is roughly a quarter of a typical grocery and utilities bill, and over a year it is close to a month's rent in a shared room. If you are working in the Netherlands and carrying Dutch basic insurance, not claiming is simply leaving money unclaimed.
It also changes the comparison between cities. Our guide to the cost of living in Amsterdam sets out the monthly budget the allowance would offset, and hidden costs in private student accommodation in the Netherlands covers the charges that tend to swallow it again.
A Note on Later Years
Figures for 2027 are set in November each year and proposals have been published to change both the maximum amounts and the income limits, with some reports suggesting higher maximums alongside a sharply lower asset threshold. None of that is settled law at the time of writing. Use the 2026 figures above for the current year and check the official site for the following year's confirmed numbers before planning around them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Netherlands healthcare allowance zorgtoeslag 2026 partners amount?
Households with a toeslagpartner can receive a maximum of around €246 a month in 2026, which is roughly €2,952 for the year, subject to income and asset limits.
How much is zorgtoeslag for a single person in 2026?
Up to around €129 a month, or roughly €1,548 a year, for those whose income and assets fall under the limits.
What is the income limit for zorgtoeslag in 2026?
€40,857 a year for a single person, and €51,142 for the combined income of a person and their toeslagpartner.
Who counts as a toeslagpartner?
A married or registered partner counts automatically. A housemate, sibling or friend you simply live with, without a formal relationship or qualifying registration, is not a toeslagpartner.
Can international students claim zorgtoeslag in the Netherlands?
Only if they hold Dutch basic health insurance and meet the income, asset and residence conditions. Many non-working international students do not have Dutch basic insurance and therefore do not qualify, while those who take a part-time job often do.
Does student finance count as income for zorgtoeslag?
No. Dutch study finance does not count towards the assessment income, although income from a part-time job does.
How do I apply for zorgtoeslag?
Apply online through Mijn Toeslagen on the Belastingdienst website using DigiD, with your personal details, income estimate, bank details and insurance information. A trial calculation on the same site shows your likely amount first.
When is zorgtoeslag paid each month?
It is normally paid around the 20th of the month, in advance for the following month, unless that date falls on a weekend or public holiday.
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The Bottom Line
For 2026, the Netherlands healthcare allowance zorgtoeslag partners amount tops out at roughly €246 a month against a joint income limit of €51,142, with singles receiving up to about €129 a month under a €40,857 limit. The two things to get right are whether you actually have a toeslagpartner, since that decides which set of numbers applies, and whether you hold Dutch basic health insurance, since without it there is no entitlement at all. Run the official trial calculation, apply through Mijn Toeslagen, and report any change in your household before it becomes a repayment.