Dutch Government Launches Final Effort to Compensate Families Wrongly Accused of Benefits Fraud
THE HAGUE, Netherlands - The Dutch government is initiating a new recovery process, “MijnHerstel,” offering a final pathway to compensation for parents and children devastated by the nationwide childcare benefits scandal, where thousands were falsely accused of fraud. Registration opens next week, with a goal to resolve all claims of economic and emotional damage within two years.
The scandal,which unfolded over several years,saw the tax authorities wrongly accuse families of fraudulently claiming childcare benefits,leading to financial ruin,home seizures,and profound emotional distress. While the government has previously apologized, many victims feel the current recovery operation, led by the Ministry of Finance, lacks genuine victim involvement and is fundamentally flawed due to the ministry’s role as both perpetrator and arbiter of damages.
The Ministry of Finance asserts it has incorporated victim feedback into the new process, but acknowledges that accommodating all suggestions proved unfeasible. “The government is the perpetrator here. It is crooked that they are going to determine what my suffering and damage has been,” stated Karima Ouadid, a victim who received a letter of apology from former Prime Minister Rutte in 2022, but found it a “slap in the face.” The letter acknowledged she was not a fraudster, a fact Ouadid says she already knew. She recounts a descent from financial independence to having bailiffs at her door due to debts incurred following the government’s accusations.
The crisis prompted a thorough investigation by the Van Dam committee, which this year recommended that settlement offers be made by an self-reliant party, rather than the Ministry of Finance. The committee’s findings underscored the conflict of interest inherent in the ministry’s oversight of the recovery process.
Anne Marie, another victim, voiced a common frustration: “How can you prove all this?”
The “MijnHerstel” platform aims to address these concerns by providing a centralized system for victims to register and pursue compensation. The government hopes to finalize all claims within the two-year timeframe, offering a measure of closure to families impacted by the years-long ordeal. [Note: Not all interviewees wished to be identified by surname; names are known to editors.]
