Applying for a Wajong benefit

The Wajong benefit is an occupational disability benefit for young people. The aim of the 2015 Wajong benefit is to help people who are unable to work, either now or in the future. If you have the capacity to work, you will not qualify for a Wajong benefit.

If you are not entitled to this benefit, or if you started receiving a Wajong benefit before 1 January 2015 and have the capacity to work, you might qualify for extra help in finding and keeping a job.

• You first started experiencing symptoms either before or when you turned 18. Or, you started experiencing symptoms before the age of 30, and were in education for at least 6 months in the year before the symptoms started.
• You live in an EU/EEA country, Switzerland or a country that has a reciprocal social security agreement with the Netherlands (‘verdragsland’).

You can apply for a Wajong benefit from the age of 17 and a half years old. Or, you can apply up to the age of 30 years, if you are studying.

To apply for a Wajong benefit complete the Work capacity evaluation form. You will need either a DigiD account or a valid European electronic ID (‘Europees erkend inlogmiddel’) to do this. If you are younger than 18 years old, you will need to complete the form with your legal guardian ('wettelijk vertegenwoordiger'). Please keep your citizen service number (‘BSN’) at hand.

You will also need to send us any documents that are relevant to your assessment along with the form. The documents that you need to provide will depend on your situation.

If you have been working, you might need to include some of the following documents:

• your CV
• your return-to-work plan ('re-integratietrajecten')
• your reports from the local council or another organisation
• your reports from job coaches or other supervisors
• your recommendation for independent living care ('Wmo-indicatie')
• your recommendation for long-term care ('Wlz-indicatie')

If you have been studying, you might need to include some of the following documents:

• your reports and records from school
• your reports on how you are doing at school, or at an internship
• your proof of enrolment in SEN secondary education ('voortgezet speciaal onderwijs') or practical secondary education ('praktijkonderwijs')

If you have not completed a course in SEN secondary education or practical secondary education, your medical documents might be requested instead. You will then need to provide the following details:

• the month and year that your illness or disability were diagnosed
• the name and address of your general practitioner and any specialists
• the period and reason for an admission, and the name of the institution

Please note: Your medical information is confidential. Only an UWV physician ('verzekeringsarts') can access your medical reports and records. The UWV physician will request this information from your general practitioner, with your permission. You do not need to request the information yourself.

Once we receive your application, we will evaluate your capacity for work ('beoordeling arbeidsvermogen'). You will receive a letter with the outcome of the evaluation within 14 weeks of us confirming we received your application.

If our evaluation finds that you are unable to work now or in the future, you will most likely qualify for a Wajong benefit. If you do not quality for a Wajong benefit, find out which support you might be entitled to instead.

You will receive a decision about your Wajong application within 14 weeks of you sending us the work capacity evaluation form.