Necessary Costs Assessment for Special Assistance in Rotterdam
Necessary costs in Rotterdam are expenditures that cannot be postponed and are crucial for your daily functioning or health. For Special Assistance from the Municipality of Rotterdam, it is strictly assessed whether costs qualify for reimbursement. This is a common stumbling block for Rotterdam residents in acute financial difficulties.
What counts as necessary costs in Rotterdam?
In Rotterdam, necessary costs qualify as expenditures that directly affect your basic needs or resolve acute emergencies. Examples:
- Fuel for cooking or heating (e.g., if your gas stove is defective and you have no alternative)
- Urgent healthcare costs (such as hearing aid, dental emergency or medication not covered by insurance)
- Repair of vital household appliances (e.g., boiler or refrigerator in a Rotterdam apartment)
- Temporary housing (e.g., emergency shelter in case of eviction in neighborhoods like Feijenoord)
- Travel costs to work or job interview (e.g., RET card for a job in the port)
The Municipality of Rotterdam checks whether costs are unavoidable and you truly cannot bear them yourself, in accordance with the Special Assistance Act (article 1 paragraph 1).
Legal frameworks specific to Rotterdam
The assessment follows:
- Special Assistance Act (Wbb), article 1 paragraph 1: Aimed at preventing dire poverty outside regular schemes.
- General Administrative Order on special assistance, article 2.1: Reimbursement only for unavoidable necessary expenditures.
- Rotterdam Special Assistance Ordinance 2024: Tailored to local priorities such as energy costs and homelessness, see municipal website.
Rotterdam applies strict criteria:
- Urgent nature (e.g., broken central heating boiler in winter with river wind).
- No alternatives (no own assets, no loans via supplementary benefit or Rotterdam Food Bank).
- Proportional amount (no extravagant expenditures, but realistic repairs).
Rotterdam practice examples
Typical cases in Rotterdam:
| Situation | Rotterdam Example | Reimbursed by Municipality of Rotterdam? |
|---|---|---|
| Food | No money for groceries after broken refrigerator in an apartment on Bergselaan. | Yes, provided no Food Bank option and income below benefit norm. |
| Health | New glasses needed for port work, not covered by health insurance. | Yes, with medical certificate and proof of inability to pay. |
| Housing | Uninhabitable rental property due to leak in Rotterdam-South. | Yes, for emergency housing or repair if landlord fails to act. |
| Travel | RET ticket to job interview at Erasmus MC, no public transport budget. | Yes, if the job offers prospects for exiting benefits. |
| Non-necessary | New bicycle for hobby or festival ticket. | No, except work-related (e.g., bicycle for courier job). |
Your rights in Rotterdam
Rights
- Reasoned decision: Municipality of Rotterdam must explain in writing why it is or is not reimbursed.
- Objection procedure: Within 6 weeks objection to Municipality of Rotterdam, then to District Court Rotterdam, Wilhelminaplein 100-125.
- Free advice: Via Legal Desk Rotterdam, Westblaak 180 – call 0800 8020 or make an appointment.
Obligations
- Provide evidence (invoices, medical certificates).
- Demonstrate inability to pay (income statement, bank statements).
Action plan for Rotterdam residents
- Submit application via Mijn Rotterdam or counter at Schiedamsesingel 35.
- Attach supporting documents.
- In case of rejection: objection + help from Legal Desk.
- District Court Rotterdam if appeal needed.
Specific to Rotterdam: priority for low-income groups in energy transition (e.g., insulation contribution) and port workers. Check current rules on the website.