Cabinet scraps social security cuts for 2027
PM Jetten removes several planned measures from the budget, but reforms to WW and WIA remain subject to talks.
The cabinet is scrapping the planned social security cuts for 2027. In the Lower House (Tweede Kamer), Prime Minister Rob Jetten said reforms to WW and WIA would be postponed by a year for the time being, while plans concerning AOW and the maximum daily wage have been removed from the books entirely.
The announcement came during a debate on the budget and negotiations with opposition parties. According to Jetten, the cabinet adjusted the measures because there is little support in the House and among the social partners for the original proposals. As a result, the 2027 budget for Social Affairs and Employment contains no new cuts.
According to the prime minister, the cabinet is leaving room for a broader review of social security. He mentioned, among other things, better support for moving from one job to another and more prevention to stop people from dropping out of the workforce. The cabinet wants to continue discussing the precise form of reforms to WW and WIA with trade unions and employers in the coming period.
According to Jetten, two elements are being removed entirely from the current plans. These concern linking the AOW age to life expectancy and adjusting the maximum daily wage. The latter partly determines the wage on which the amount of a WW or WIA benefit is calculated.
The remaining reforms to WW and WIA have not been scrapped permanently, but have been postponed by a year. According to the cabinet, this creates time to seek a social agreement. The prime minister presents the postponement as a way to work out the reforms more thoroughly and avoid introducing them under time pressure.
The trade unions had previously called for the cuts to be scrapped completely. They fear that a shorter WW entitlement period and changes to WIA would mainly affect people who lose their jobs or become unable to work for a long period. There was also criticism in the Lower House that the cabinet had not closed the discussion about later years.
The new approach therefore mainly affects the 2027 budget. For people receiving WW or WIA benefits, the announcement does not automatically mean that all future changes are off the table. The final consequences will depend on the negotiations over the reforms and on the legislation subsequently submitted to parliament.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- For 2027, the cabinet is scrapping several planned measures in the field of social security.
- According to the prime minister, the reforms to WW and WIA have been postponed, not ended completely.
- The final legislation still has to be worked out and considered by parliament.
Left
Arguments Social security is intended to protect incomes and should not be weakened for people who lose their jobs or become unable to work. The left will stress that postponement is meaningful only if the cuts also disappear for later years.
Values Livelihood security, solidarity and the protection of workers.
Consequences Permanent scrapping prevents income insecurity, but according to this approach it could also mean that other cuts or tax rises are needed.
Centre
Arguments The institutional approach means that reforms are not introduced under political pressure, but that employers and employees make agreements together on affordability and feasibility.
Values Support, gradualism and sustainable public finances.
Consequences Consultation can lead to rules that are easier to implement, but makes the outcome slower and perpetuates uncertainty about the long term.
Right
Arguments Social security must remain affordable, and people should be given stronger incentives to work or return to work. The right will therefore want to keep room for reforms, even if the initial cuts proposals have been scrapped.
Values Personal responsibility, labour-market participation and budgetary discipline.
Consequences Reforms can limit public spending, but they can also reduce the income security of unemployed people and those unable to work.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The article's central point is based directly on the Lower House debate report and is supplemented by independent reporting. The text clearly distinguishes between scrapping, postponing and further talks.
- confirmed The cabinet is scrapping several planned social security cuts for 2027. — Prime Minister Jetten says this in the plenary debate. source
- confirmed The plans concerning the AOW age and maximum daily wage have been removed from the books. — This is stated explicitly in Jetten's statement. source
- confirmed Other reforms to WW and WIA have been postponed by a year. — The prime minister refers to this postponement in the same debate. source
- confirmed The trade unions wanted the cuts removed completely. — NOS describes this position taken by the trade unions. source
Editor's note
It is certain that Prime Minister Jetten said in the Lower House that several planned measures for 2027 had been scrapped or postponed. It is uncertain which reforms will ultimately remain after talks with the social partners.Sources
- Plenaire verslagen Tweede Kamer, debat over de begroting — Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal
- Premier Jetten: samen met oppositie problemen oplossen — NOS
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