Elderly and partially incapacitated former self-employed (IOAZ) benefit.

You can get an IOAZ benefit if you do not get enough income from your business and you want to quit within 18 months. This benefit supplements the (family) income up to the social assistance level.

More information on the IOAZ can be found on the central government website.

How does it work?

You can apply for the benefit through BZF.

Terms

You can get IOAZ benefits if you meet some conditions.

You can claim IOAZ benefits if your business does not bring in enough to live on. In addition, the following conditions apply:

• You are 55 or older, but have not yet reached the state pension age;
• You have worked continuously for the past 10 years, the last 3 of which were self-employed. Before that, you were self-employed or employed for 7 years;
• You worked 1,225 hours or more per year in your own business. This is an average of about 24 hours per week; 
• Your partner is considered self-employed and is himself entitled to IOAZ if he is 55 or older but has not yet reached the state pension age. And works a minimum of 525 hours per year in the business;
• the income (profit) from your business has been less than €27,493.00 (amount in 2023) on average for the last 3 years. Income also includes any other income. If your partner cooperates in the business then this income may count. This applies to the co-payment (above € 5,000.00) and the profit share. Other income of your partner, for example salary or unemployment benefit, does not count;
• for the future, you expect an income of less than €30,854.00 (amount as of January 1, 2022). The municipality will investigate this;
• the income per month, after termination of the business, is less than the applicable benefit standard; 
• You submit the application for IOAZ benefit before the business is terminated. After the application, you terminate the business within a period of 18 months. The right to IOAZ benefit does not arise until the business is terminated.

Cost-sharing standard

Do you receive IOAZ benefit and live with others aged 27 or older in the same house? If so, the cost-sharing standard may apply to you.

The cost-sharing standard is the IOAZ benefit you get if you live in one house with one or more adults aged 27 or older. These are the so-called cost-sharing partners. These can be your children, but also other residents. Boarders can help pay for your housing costs. That's why a cost-sharing benefit is lower. This does not apply if the live-in residents are students who can receive student loans. These students do not count toward the amount of the benefit. Residents with benefits keep their cost-sharing standard.

Labor Duty

If you receive IOAW benefits, you - and your partner, if any - are subject to the obligation to work. The obligation to work entails the following:

• You seek employment and accept an offer of employment;
• you use a provision of the municipality that can get you working or otherwise active;
• You are cooperating in an investigation of your employment opportunities.

If you do not comply with this, the municipality may temporarily reduce your benefit entitlement. You will then receive less benefit.

Duty to inquire

Within the IOAW, you - and your partner, if any - are subject to the obligation to provide information. This includes the following:

• you must disclose, upon request or as soon as possible on your own, anything that may affect eligibility for benefits or employment.

If you do not or not sufficiently comply with the obligation to provide information, the municipality must review or withdraw the right to the benefit. This may mean that the municipality will reclaim assistance. In addition, the municipality determines whether a fine must be imposed.