Living Allowance

As a refugee from Ukraine, you can receive financial support. This is a national scheme, called a 'living allowance'. To qualify for a living allowance, you must register in the Personal Records Database (BRP).   

Within a week of receiving a BSN (citizen service number), the council will send you a prepaid debit card. A council employee will visit you and give you the prepaid debit card. You sign to say you have received this.

What you need to know about the living allowance
 

Changes can affect your right to a living allowance. That's why it's important to tell us of any changes straight away. Tell us about changes using the change notification form (living allowance) (Dutch).

Amount of the living allowance

The amount of the living allowance is decided on at national level. The amount you receive depends on the size of your family. You receive the allowance every month. If the 1st falls at a weekend or on a bank holiday, payment is made on the next working day.

Monthly amounts per person

When does the living allowance payment stop

Living allowance stops if you:

• You or an adult family member starts to work. If the wage is lower than the allowance for a family, you will receive a supplement.
• You or your family members move house to a different city.
• You or your family members spend more than 28 days abroad.

Family members who remain in Breda will continue to receive the living allowance. The amount depends on the number of people who remain behind. Tell us about these changes using the change notification form (living allowance) (Dutch). It is important you tell us about changes so that you don't have to pay back money to us later on.

When do you receive a living allowance?

• If you move from abroad:
  You will receive a living allowance as soon as you are registered with Breda council. You will receive a living allowance from the start of the month. For example: if you register on 12 July, you will receive a living allowance from 1 July (for the whole month of July).
• If you move to Breda from a different city in the Netherlands:
  You will receive a living allowance from the start of the next month. For example: if you register on 12 July, you will receive a living allowance from 1 August.

Living allowance if you stop working

Your living allowance will be paid again from the start of the next month. You can tell us that you have stopped working using the change notification form (living allowance (Dutch).

What you need to know about the prepaid debit card

Request the balance

You can request your balance through 'Prepaid Balance' (Prepaid Saldo) by entering your customer number and security code. You can find your customer number (10 digits) and the security code (4 digits) on your bank card. You can also view your transactions through the website.

Digital (online) payments

You cannot use a prepaid debit card for digital payments. You can open your own bank account at a bank, for example, ING, BUNQ or Rabobank. Internet banking is then possible.

New bank account number

Tell us about this using the change notification form (living allowance) (Dutch).

Withdrawing money from a cash dispenser

You can withdraw a maximum of € 250.00 each day from a cash dispenser.

Lost prepaid debit card or PIN code

Email The council will contact you to issue a new prepaid debit card. If you have lost your prepaid debit card, you have to pay the first € 150 of any amount that you lose ('deductible').

Blocked card

If your prepaid debit card has been blocked, let us know by sending an email. The council will contact you to issue a new prepaid debit card.