Applying for a benefit under the Work and Income (Capacity for Work) Act (WIA benefit)
Have you been ill for almost 2 years, and are you unable to work or can you only work part-time because of your illness? Are you, as a result, no longer earning your previous wage? Before these 2 years have passed, ask the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV) if you can receive a WIA benefit instead of your wage from your employment. Or instead of your sickness benefit.
Applying for a benefit under the Work and Income according to Labour Capacity Act (WIA)
Please contact the UWV if you want to apply for a WIA benefit.
Conditions for WIA benefit
To receive a WIA benefit, you must meet certain conditions.
You can find all conditions for a WIA benefit on UWV’s website.
WIA: WGA or IVA
There are 2 types of WIA benefits: the WGA benefit and the IVA benefit. The type of WIA benefit you will receive depends on how much you are still able to work:
- WGA stands for: Werkhervatting Gedeeltelijk Arbeidsgeschikten, or Return to Work (Partially Disabled Persons) Regulations. You may receive a WGA benefit if you have been ill for 2 years or more and are able to work (or will be able to work in the future).
- IVA stands for: Inkomensvoorziening Volledig Arbeidsongeschikten, or Fully Disabled Persons Income Scheme. You may receive an IVA benefit if you are unable or hardly able to work and there is very little chance that you will recover.
Laws and regulations (in Dutch)
Last updated on 25 November 2025