BBZ - Anw survivor benefit

If you are employed in the Netherlands, you will build up rights to a Dutch old age pension and you will be insured under the Dutch survivor benefit scheme (Anw). If you pass away, your partner can claim a survivor benefit, and your children could qualify for a dependent child allowance or orphan's benefit.

The Anw benefit will be paid to your partner by the Social Insurance Bank (Sociale Verzekeringsbank, SVB). You can apply to the pension service of your municipality for the benefit. If you also worked in Belgium, your partner may also get a Belgian survivor benefit.

When will your partner get an Anw benefit?

Your partner will get an Anw dependent child allowance if he or she:

• is under 65, and 
• cares for a child of his or her own, a foster child or a stepchild under 18.

The dependent child allowance is a fixed amount per month. It does not depend on other income. Apart from a dependent child allowance, your partner could also get an Anw survivor benefit, which, unlike the dependent child allowance, is dependent on other income.

If your partner does not have children under 18, he or she will get an Anw survivor benefit if he or she:

• was born before 1 January 1950, or
• is at least 45% disabled for work.

It makes no difference whether your were married to or living together with your partner. The Anw survivor benefit will stop if your partner turns 65, remarries or starts living with someone else.

Anw orphan's benefit

Children are entitled to an Anw orphan's benefit if both parents have died.