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Relatives of an affected claimant
If the person who applied for the childcare benefit dies, the family will still need help. The recovery initiated or intended for your loved one is now there for you.
About this scheme
Currently, the act of parliament for this scheme is still being amended. But we are already making preparations. The scheme is there to ensure that the deceased's benefit partner or children can move forward with recovery. That will allow them to continue with the recovery process from the time the person who made the application died.
| Reading in the Tweede Kamer | June 2024 |
| Reading in the Eerste Kamer | July 2024 |
| Start of scheme | July, august of september 2024 |
Most scheme beneficiaries are known to us. We will contact you in person as soon as the scheme starts. First, you will receive a card telling you that we will call you. Are there several eligible people within one family? If so, we will contact all these family members.
Would you like to contact us yourself because you believe you are entitled to the surviving relatives scheme? If so, you can call us when the scheme has started. We will keep you informed on this website of when the scheme starts.
Already recognised as affected
Was the deceased claimant already recognised as affected? In that case, we look at what the scheme beneficiary is still entitled to. For example, a sum of money, help with the deceased claimant's debts or help from your local authority.
Do you live abroad as a surviving relative? If so, you can contact the Ondersteuningsteam Buitenland.
Not yet recognised as affected
In some cases, it has not yet been established that a parent was affected before they died. A person may also be entitled to this scheme if the deceased did not apply for it while alive. Or if the application has been made, but the parent has died while the process is still ongoing. You can read more about that under 'not yet recognised as affected'.
Beneficiaries of this scheme
There may be one or more beneficiaries of the scheme. The family's situation is considered. This is to ensure that the recovery measure reaches the family the deceased belonged to when they died. There is a certain order for the scheme:
- the benefit partner of the deceased parent
- the child or children of the deceased parent.
Was there a benefit partner when the parent died? If so, that person is the scheme beneficiary. And the others are not. Is there no benefit partner? In that case, this scheme applies to the children.
Benefit partner of the affected parent
Were you the benefit partner of an affected parent when they died? If so, you are probably entitled to the surviving relatives scheme. Most scheme beneficiaries are known to us. We will contact you in person. Had it not yet been established whether the deceased claimant was affected? You can read more about that under 'not yet recognised as affected'.
A benefit partner is someone who counts for benefits. The money earned and owned by both benefit partners counts towards the benefit. The benefit partners receive the benefit together. A benefit partner can be your spouse or registered partner. Or someone else living at your address. You can have only one benefit partner.
The child of an affected parent
Was your father or mother an affected parent? And was there no benefit partner at the time of death? If so, you are probably entitled to the surviving relatives benefit. Do you have any brothers or sisters? If so, they will also be entitled to the scheme. That may also be the case if your father or mother has not yet been recognised as affected. You can read more about that under 'not yet recognised as affected'.
Not yet recognised as affected
There are also cases where a deceased parent has not yet had the results of the first test. Or that the person was still in the integrated assessment process of when they died. And in some cases, the deceased parent has not been able to apply at all.
In that case, we complete the integrated assessment with the scheme beneficiaries as it would have been done if your loved one had lived. We will contact you as a possible beneficiary of the surviving relatives scheme. Please get in touch with us yourself if there has been no notification yet. You will then be assigned a regular contact person to guide you. Are there several scheme beneficiaries in your family going through this process? If so, you will go through the process together. This if the case if there are several children, for example.
Outcome of the integrated assessment
Does the integrated assessment show that the parent who died was affected? If so, you are entitled to the surviving relatives benefit. Has it turned out that the parent who died was not affected? If so, there is no entitlement to the surviving relatives' scheme.
Application period of 6 months
An application deadline applies. This gives relatives time to think about whether they want the scheme. And in some cases, not all relatives are known to us. Or do not have their address. If we know that several people are entitled to the scheme, we use those six months to contact them. The application deadline gives relatives time to register with us themselves.
The notification period starts as soon as the law takes effect. After that, you have six months to apply. Has a childcare benefit claimant died after the law takes effect? In that case, the six-month notification period applies from the time of death.
Planning and approach
The act of parliament covering this situation is yet to be enacted. The House of Representatives and Senate are yet to decide on this. However, we are already making preparations. A lot of work is underway to ensure that the scheme can start in the 3rd quarter of 2024.