Financial support for surviving relatives (Wuv Act and Wubo Act)

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1 Financial support for surviving relatives (Wuv Act and Wubo Act) Contents When do you qualify for financial support as a surviving partner? 2 What financial support did your partner receive, and what does that mean for you? 2 What happens to the financial support after your partner s death? 3 The benefit for a surviving partner 4 If you receive a monthly benefit of your own 5 Contact details EX/0117

2 Financial support for surviving relatives (Wuv Act and Wubo Act) 2 of 6 If your partner has passed away and he or she received financial support under the Wuv Act or the Wubo Act, you can get financial support as a surviving partner. Financial support is also available for minor orphans. When do you qualify for financial support as a surviving partner? Entitlement to financial support for a surviving partner depends on the financial support received by your late partner. You also have to meet requirements regarding worthy conduct and the nature of your relationship. You will find more details on the conditions for receiving this benefit below. Unworthy conduct People who showed unworthy conduct during the Second World War, for example, by collaborating with the enemy, are not entitled to a benefit for surviving partners. If you were divorced or separated If you were divorced or separated from your spouse, you cannot get a benefit for a surviving partner. If you lived together without being married If you lived with your partner, you may be entitled to a benefit for a surviving partner if you were living at the same address as your partner on the date that he or she passed away. You may also be entitled to the benefit if your late partner was admitted to a care institution or a nursing home, unless you have indicated that the partners should be considered to be single under the Dutch AOW Act. What financial support did your partner receive, and what does that mean for you? If your partner received a monthly benefit If your partner received a monthly benefit under the Wuv Act or the Wubo Act, you may be entitled to a benefit as a surviving partner. However, this will not be possible if your partner received a benefit under the Wubo Act, was over the AOW pension age at the time of your marriage and was married to you for less than 10 years. Under the Wuv Act, the survivor benefit is limited to two years if you are under 40 and there are no minor children. If your partner received the amount for non-measurable disability costs If your partner received the amount for non-measurable disability costs (Wuv Act, Article 21b: NMIK), you can get a benefit as a surviving partner.

3 Financial support for surviving relatives (Wuv Act and Wubo Act) 3 of 6 If your partner received the supplement to improve living circumstances If your partner did not receive a monthly benefit but did receive the supplement to improve living circumstances (Wubo Act, Article 19 supplement), as a rule, you will not be entitled to a benefit as a surviving partner. This will only be possible if your partner was previously entitled to a benefit under the Wuv Act or the Wubo Act, but that benefit was converted into the supplement to improve living circumstances because it was financially more favourable or if the permanent damage to health had been caused by persecution. In that case, you must apply for the benefit yourself by getting in touch with us. We will then be able to assist you with your application. What happens to the financial support after your partner s death? Final monthly payment is paid in full In the month in which your partner passed away, the total monthly amount to which he or she was entitled is paid in full. This amount may consist of the monthly benefit, the supplement to improve living circumstances, the amount for non-measurable disability costs and any contributions towards costs. Lump sum payment after decease If your partner received a monthly benefit, you will be paid a lump sum. The amount of this payment is twice the brute amount of the benefit paid in the month in which your partner passed away. Contributions towards costs Contributions towards costs paid to your partner will stop after the month of your partner s death. As a survivor, you are not entitled to these payments. However, certain amounts may continue to be paid to you for some time as a financial bridge, provided that your late partner had received the contribution for more than one year and the costs were actually incurred. Contributions towards the expenses of a car, participation in social activities, travel expenses for maintaining social contacts and telephone costs will continue to be paid to you for 3 months. The contribution towards the costs of home help continues for 1 year. The contribution towards the costs of staying in a care home outside the Netherlands is paid for a maximum of 5 years. The contribution towards rent is also paid for a maximum of 5 years, as long as you do not move house.

4 Financial support for surviving relatives (Wuv Act and Wubo Act) 4 of 6 The benefit for a surviving partner Visit to your home If you qualify for a benefit as a surviving partner, we will calculate the amount of your benefit. To do so, we will need various financial details. If you live in the Netherlands, one of our staff members will visit you at home a number of weeks after your partner s death to establish your financial situation. You will be notified of the visit and do not need to contact us yourself. You can decide the date and time of the visit. During the visit, we will give you information about the benefit as a surviving partner. If you wish, a relative, friend or acquaintance may be present as well. If you live outside the Netherlands, it will not always be possible to visit you at home. Commencing date of the benefit The benefit starts on the first day of the third month after the date on which your partner passed away. The amount of the benefit As was the case with the benefit paid to your late partner, the survivor benefit guarantees an individually determined income. The guaranteed income will be lower than the guaranteed income for your partner. Your benefit as a survivor will supplement your income if it is lower than the guarantee income that applies to you. In calculating this benefit, consideration is given to income from assets. It is possible that your survivor benefit may not be payable on account of your income. Payment of advance and assessment of benefit Your survivor benefit will be determined on the basis of your financial details. You will be paid an advance on your benefit until we have all necessary details. You will be informed in writing of the amount of the advance. When we have all the details, your benefit will be determined. Increase and reassessment The benefit amount will be increased whenever the minimum wage is increased. You will be informed of this in writing. The benefit will be reassessed if there is a change in your personal circumstances, for example, if you reach retirement age, if there is a change in your sources of income, or if you move to a care home or a nursing home. End of entitlement if you marry or start living with a partner If you remarry or start living with a partner, the entitlement to financial support ends. This applies both to the survivor benefit and the bridging payments of contributions towards costs.

5 Financial support for surviving relatives (Wuv Act and Wubo Act) 5 of 6 If you receive a monthly benefit of your own If you receive a financial contribution as a victim of war, you may also be entitled to a benefit as a surviving partner. This will depend on several circumstances, the most important of which are described below. If you also receive a benefit under the Wuv Act or the Wubo Act If you receive a benefit under the Wuv Act or the Wubo Act, it will be reassessed after your partner s death. If your late partner received a benefit under the same Act, we will assess what is financially more favourable for you: a benefit as a survivor or your own benefit. You will continue to be paid any contributions towards your own costs. In addition, you may be entitled to temporary continuation of contributions towards costs awarded to your late partner. If your late partner received a benefit under the Wubo Act and you receive a benefit under the Wuv Act (or the other way round), you can get a benefit as a survivor in addition to your own benefit. In that case, one benefit will be deducted from the other. If you receive the amount for non-measurable disability costs or the Article 19 supplement If you only receive the amount for non-measurable disability costs (NMIK: Article 21b, Wuv Act) or the supplement to improve living circumstances (Article 19 supplement, Wubo Act), you will continue to receive this as well as a benefit for a surviving partner, if awarded. Contact details Sociale Verzekeringsbank, Department for Members of the Resistance and Victims of War PO Box RB Leiden, The Netherlands Telephone: +31 (0) Fax: +31 (0) info.wvo@svb.nl Website: This brochure contains general information. No rights can be derived from the contents of this brochure.

6 Financial support for surviving relatives (Wuv Act and Wubo Act) 6 of 6 The Sociale Verzekeringsbank (Leiden Branch Office) is responsible for the implementation of the Dutch Acts and schemes for members of the resistance and victims of war. All your questions can be directed to this office. Applications from previously unknown applicants are assessed by the Pension and Benefit Board (PUR). The PUR also determines the policies.