Huurtoeslag: housing allowance explained for newcomers

Huurtoeslag is a monthly government contribution toward your rent if you have a relatively low income and rent an eligible home. It can be worth a few hundred euros a month, so it's one of the first benefits (toeslagen) newcomers should check after arriving.

Information only — not tax or legal advice. The figures below are for 2026 and change every year. Use the huurtoeslag calculator and the Belastingdienst (the Dutch tax authority) / Dienst Toeslagen (the benefits office) for your exact situation.

Who can get huurtoeslag

• You are 18 or older.
• You rent self-contained living space — your own front door, kitchen and toilet (and, since March 2024, your own bathing facility). A single room in a shared house usually does not qualify.
• You and any co-occupants are registered at the address and have a valid residence status.
• Your income isn't too high — it phases out gradually, so there is no single hard cut-off.
• Your savings/assets on 1 January 2026 are below the limit (see below).

The 2026 limits

• Assets (vermogen) on 1 January 2026: up to €38,479 if you're single, or €76,958 for partners together. If you're over the limit on 1 January, you get no huurtoeslag for the whole year — even if your savings drop later.
• Rent: from 1 January 2026 the hard rent ceiling is gone — you can apply even with a higher rent. But the allowance is still calculated on a maximum bare rent (kale huur) of €932.93 per month; anything above that isn't subsidised.
• Only bare rent counts from 2026 — service costs are no longer included.
• Young renters (18–20): the allowance is calculated up to a rent of €498.20 per month.

What changed in 2026

• The hard rent limit was abolished — an estimated 170,000 extra households now qualify, for around €175 a month on average.
• The youth age limit dropped from 23 to 21, so 21- and 22-year-olds can now receive more.
• A smoother linear phase-out as income rises, so a small pay rise no longer cuts your benefit as sharply.

How to apply

• Apply online via Mijn toeslagen on the Belastingdienst website, using your DigiD (national digital ID).
• Have your BSN, monthly rent, an estimate of your yearly income, and your bank details ready.
• You can apply with retroactive effect until 1 September of the following year, so it's worth checking even if you're a bit late.
• Toeslagen is paid as an estimate — report changes in income, rent or household promptly, or you may have to pay money back.

Tip: Run the huurtoeslag calculator first to see roughly what you'd receive before you apply.