Social inequity in disability claims in the Netherlands

Hi there fellow Steemians,

Here's some insight in the Dutch social insurance system. This system is considered to be very well organised, but also complex when compared to other countries.

In the Netherlands a lot of people receive some kind of benefit out of the system: approximately 1.1 milion benefits are paid every month (the Netherlands has about 17 milion citizens).

Some Dutch citizens are critisizing the system of social insurance and disability pensions. They feel that persons with lower incomes are not supported enough.

For instance: 2 persons with the exact same medical condition and same job. One has a higher salary than the other. The person with the higher income could be accepted for a sickness benefit after 2 years of sickness, while the other person with the exact same problems could be rejected (wet WIA: work and income related to ability). And that is all due to the Dutch system of social insurances, which only compensates a loss of income above 35%.

When people partly lose their workability, a medical officer like me has to evaluate the remaining capabilities.
Afterwards, the resulting capability profile is used by a vocational expert to calculate the theoretical salary that can be earned with work. (Work that can be done by the person, despite inabilities). Only when the difference between this salary, and the former salary is over 35% a disability pension will be granted.

People with low incomes are the most at risk to get rejected after making a claim. In the database used by the vocational expert, there are lots of low educated jobs to be found. When a person is able to perform jobs like these despite his/her disabilities, the loss in income probably won't exceed 35%.

But who (with a lower income and education) is able to cover a 35% loss income? Think about that, is an often used argument.
And: what about the cognitive flexibility that is needed to re-educate oneself to be able to perform an other job? A lot of people consider this be unfair. And maybe they are much better to be expected from higher educated people with high salaries.

But: there always is another side to the story.

Premies for the social insurances are variable, and depending on the salary of the individual worker. A higher salary means more premie to pay.

Dutch government wants to limit the amount of social benefits, for claims on disability pensions were sky-high in the past. People who are able to work, should be triggered to go use their workability as much as possible despite disabilities.

It is known from research that lower educated people are more often making claims on disability pensions. Their work often is more physique and therefore a heavier burden to the body.

Furthermore: Dutch citizens with low income can claim lots of other benefits in daily life. They can for instance get compensation for renting a house (huurtoeslag), paying healthcare insurance (zorgtoeslag) and taking care of kids (kindgebonden budget). In the end there are lots of citizens with low income that have a good life standard due to all the compensations. This kind of compensation is not available for Dutch citizens who have higher salaries, and who pay the biggest part of taxes (on wage, on mortgage, on spendings and savings).

So in the end: in my opinion there is social inequity in more than one way.

But maybe we could say that receiving one kind of compensation, compensates for not being accepted for another kind of compensation?