Benefit for older and partially incapacitated unemployed employees (IOAW)
You may be eligible for an IOAW benefit from the municipality if you were born before January 1, 1965, and became unemployed after your 50th birthday. This benefit supplements your (family) income to the level of social assistance. You will receive the benefit upon application after your unemployment benefit (WW-uitkering) has ended.
More information about the IOAW can be found on the website of the national government.
How does it work?
- You can apply for benefits via werk.nl. Log in with your DigiD.
- Your application will be sent to the municipality. You will then automatically receive a message whether you will receive the benefit.
Conditions
You can receive an IOAW benefit if you meet certain conditions:
- You were born before January 1, 1965, and became unemployed on or after your 50th birthday, and you received unemployment benefits (WW) for longer than 3 months.
- you can no longer receive unemployment benefits (WW);
- You were born before January 1, 1965, and received a WGA benefit (return to work for partially disabled persons) on or after your 50th birthday, but this benefit has stopped because your reassessment shows that you are less than 35% disabled.
- you do not have sufficient income to live on. You can find the maximum income you are allowed to receive at the bottom of this page under the heading 'net amounts IOAW'.
Are you or will you become unemployed between September 30, 2006, and January 1, 2020? Were you or will you be 60 years or older at that time? Then you cannot apply for an IOAW benefit. You are entitled to an IOW benefit. You can apply for this via the UWV website.
Cost Sharing Standard
Do you receive an IOAW benefit and live with others aged 27 or older in one house? Then the cost-sharing standard may apply to you.
The cost-sharing standard is the IOAW benefit you receive if you live in the same house with one or more adults aged 27 or older. These are the so-called cost-sharers. These can be your children, but also other residents. Cost-sharers can contribute to your housing costs. That is why a cost-sharing benefit is lower. This does not apply if the residents are students who can receive student finance. These students do not count towards the amount of the benefit. Residents with a benefit retain their cost-sharing standard.
Obligation to work
If you receive an IOAW benefit, you - and your partner if applicable - are subject to the obligation to work. The obligation to work includes the following:
- You are looking for work and accept an offer of work.
- you use a service provided by the municipality that can help you find work or be active in another way;
- You cooperate in an investigation into your job opportunities.
If you do not comply with this, the municipality may temporarily reduce the right to benefits. You will then receive less benefits.
Obligation to provide information
Under the IOAW (Supplementary Benefits Act), you – and your partner if applicable – have a duty to provide information. This includes the following:
- you must, upon request or as soon as possible on your own initiative, report everything that may affect the right to benefits or work integration.
If you do not comply with your obligation to provide information, or do so insufficiently, the municipality must revise or withdraw your right to benefits. This may mean that the municipality will reclaim the assistance provided. In addition, the municipality will determine whether a fine should be imposed.