The government’s plans in plain language

Housing

For many people, it is difficult to find a place to live that is right for their situation and that they can afford. The Netherlands needs lots more homes. These are the government’s plans:

• Set aside 30 places around the country for new neighbourhoods or towns. These places should be easy to reach by car, bicycle and public transport.
• Make it easier to split a house into two or more homes. Or to build another level on top of an existing building.
• Make it harder to stop new housing projects going ahead.
• Deliver more homes for rent that are affordable for people with a low income.
• Deliver more homes that are affordable for people to buy.
• Mortgage interest tax relief will remain in place.

Work and income

The government wants people to be able to pay their bills. People who lose their job should be able to find new work quickly. This is what the government wants to do:

• All benefits, including supplementary benefits, will be paid on the same day every month.
• Childcare will be almost free for parents who work.
• The state pension age will go up from 2033 onwards. When the average lifespan in the Netherlands goes up by one year, the pension age will go up by one year too.
• The rules on self-employment will be made clearer and give people better protection. Companies will have to give an employment contract to any self-employed person who actually does the same work as their employees.
• People who lose their job will get a higher monthly unemployment benefit. But they will only get the benefit for one year, not two.

Crime

The government wants everyone in the Netherlands to be safe. So the government wants:

• More community police officers. As well as more detectives who are trained to fight cybercrime and sexual abuse.
• The police to be able to deal with minor offences, such as shoplifting, without involving other authorities.
• More prison cells.
• Better protection for politicians, journalists and lawyers.
• Action to tackle violence against women.

Defence and international security

The government wants to work with the European Union to protect our safety and security. It also wants to defend our country against sabotage, espionage and cyberattacks by countries like Russia, China and Iran. This is what the government wants to do:

• Spend more money on defence, every year until 2035, so that the Netherlands will meet the NATO target of 3.5%.
• Ensure that there are at least 122,000 people serving in the armed forces.
• Keep working closely with other NATO allies.
• Buy 50% of our weapons and other military equipment from Dutch and European companies.
• Spend more money on our intelligence and security services. And have them work more closely with the services in other European countries.
• Protect energy and internet cables against sabotage by other countries.

Asylum seekers

The government wants fewer asylum seekers to come to the Netherlands. It will work with the European Union to make this happen. The reception of asylum seekers must be organised better. These are the government's plans:

• Refugees will have to apply for asylum outside Europe, and not after they arrive here.
• The government will decide faster whether someone can stay in the Netherlands.
• Refugees who stand a good chance of being allowed to stay will be able to start Dutch language lessons right away. And they can start working after 3 months.
• The Dispersal Act is not being withdrawn after all. All municipalities will play a part in housing asylum seekers.
• Asylum seekers who cause a nuisance or commit a crime will be punished more severely.
• Regular facilities for asylum seekers will have more long-term places, so emergency facilities will not be needed any more.
• Municipalities themselves can decide whether or not to give refugees priority for social housing.

Government and regulations

People’s dealings with the government should be made easier, faster and more predictable. These are the government's plans:

• Scrap or simplify at least 500 rules a year.
• Make sure official information is easy to understand for everyone.
• One small error should no longer get you into trouble. The right to make a mistake will be established.
• People will be able to handle all their dealings with the government online.
• Central government will save money by hiring fewer external experts.
• In Bonaire, Saba and St Eustatius, prices for electricity and water need to come down, so that fewer people live in poverty.

Climate change, nature and agriculture

The government wants to restore nature, meet the climate goals and tackle nitrogen pollution. This is what the government wants to achieve:

• The government will join up nature areas, which will give plants and animals room to thrive.
• Nitrogen emissions from farming must be 42% lower by 2035, compared with 2019. Emissions from industry and traffic must be 50% lower.
• Farmers themselves can decide how to cut back their emissions.
• Farmers near nature areas will be offered money to stop farming.

Energy

The government wants the Netherlands to use sustainable energy, which comes from sources in the Netherlands where possible. The congestion on the electricity grid also needs to be solved. This is what the government wants to do:

• Expand the electricity grid, so that new homes and businesses can be connected to it faster.
• Increase the price of electricity at times that everyone wants to use it. This will encourage people to spread their electricity use over the day.
• Build at least four nuclear power stations.
• Build more offshore wind farms.
• The Groningen gas field will remain closed. No new drilling for gas in the Wadden Sea.
• Better insulation of homes in neighbourhoods that are lagging behind. From 2029, landlords must better insulate homes with an E, F or G energy performance certificate.

Economy

The economy needs to grow by 1.5% a year, so that people earn more and there is enough money for important things like healthcare and education. This is how the government wants to make the economy stronger:

• Scrap rules to make it easier to do business. 
• Invest more money in research aimed at new technologies, like AI.
• Set up a Dutch investment bank that will help businesses, especially startups, get loans.
• Cut taxes for businesses that are developing new technologies. 
• Scrap the carbon (CO2) tax for businesses.

Healthcare

Healthcare in the Netherlands is good and affordable, and it must stay that way. People with a healthier lifestyle are less likely to get ill. So this is what the government is planning:

• Children will be given free fruit at school.
• The legal age to buy cigarettes and vapes will be raised to 21.
• A Europe-wide minimum age of 15 for social media.
• A ban on advertisements for online gambling sites.
• People with a chronic disease who are on benefits or need certain medical devices will not need to keep providing evidence that they are sick.
• People who can afford it must pay for domestic help themselves.
• The mandatory health insurance excess will go up by €60 from 2027. The excess charged per treatment will never be more than €150.

Education

The quality of education needs to improve. The government also wants to tackle the teacher shortage and give money to research. This is what the government wants:

• Children need to do better in reading, writing and arithmetic.
• No smartphones in the classroom.
• A mandatory internship allowance for all students.
• Outstanding students from other European countries must be able to study in the Netherlands, especially courses like IT and engineering.
• Money for researchers so they can make discoveries, for example, new ways of curing diseases.