Brexit: what does it mean for you?

The United Kingdom (UK) left the European Union (EU) on 31 January 2020, after both parties had signed a Withdrawal Agreement (WA).

Under the WA, EU rules continued to apply until 31 December 2020. The WA also contained the rules that would apply after 31 December 2020 to protect the social security rights of citizens who found themselves in cross-border situations between the UK and the Netherlands or another EU country in the period before 1 January 2021. Cross-border situations after 1 January 2021 that are not covered by the WA, are now subject to the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). Social security rights under the TCA are more limited.

What is a cross-border situation?

Cross-border situations are situations involving the UK and another EU country such as the Netherlands. For example, you are a Dutch citizen going to live, work or study in the UK. Or you are British and you are going to live, work or study in the Netherlands or another EU country.

Your situation

Find your situation below and see what this means for your AOW pension, Anw survivor benefit, child benefit or international posting

What does this mean for your AOW pension?

You already receive AOW pension

Your AOW pension has not changed. However, if there is a change in your personal situation, your AOW pension may also change as a result.

You do not receive an AOW pension yet

The rules for calculating the AOW pension have not changed.

What does this mean for your Anw survivor benefit?

You already receive an Anw benefit

Your Anw survivor benefit has not changed. However, if there is a change in your personal situation, your survivor benefit may also change as a result.

What does this mean for your child benefit?

If you were receiving Dutch child benefit for a child living in the UK in the 4th quarter of 2020, you can continue to receive it as before. If you have your first child or another child in the UK after 31 December 2020, you can get Dutch child benefit for that child if you meet the necessary conditions. One of these conditions is that the cross-border situation has continued without a break since 31 December 2020.

What does this mean for international postings to the UK?

After 2020, your A1 certificate will remain valid until the end date stated on the certificate. You will continue to be covered by all of the Dutch social insurance schemes. An A1 certificate can also be issued after 31 December 2020, providing the cross-border situation has continued without a break since 31 December 2020. 

N.B. The free movement of services to and from the UK ended as from 1 January 2021. This means that you can only be posted to work there if you meet the UK’s own requirements for residence and work permits. An A1 certificate no longer guarantees you this right.

What does this mean for your AOW pension?

You already receive AOW pension

Your AOW pension has not changed. However, if there is a change in your personal situation, your AOW pension may also change as a result.

You do not receive an AOW pension yet

The rules for calculating the AOW pension have not changed.

What does this mean for your Anw survivor benefit?

You already receive an Anw benefit

Your Anw survivor benefit has not changed. However, if there is a change in your personal situation, your survivor benefit may also change as a result.

What does this mean for your child benefit?

If you were receiving Dutch child benefit for a child living in the UK in the 4th quarter of 2020, you can continue to receive it as before. If you have your first child or another child in the UK after 31 December 2020, you cannot get Dutch child benefit for that child.

What does this mean for your AOW pension?

You already receive AOW pension

Your AOW pension has not changed. However, if there is a change in your personal situation, your AOW pension may also change as a result.

You do not receive an AOW pension yet

The rules for calculating the AOW pension have not changed.

What does this mean for your Anw survivor benefit?

You already receive an Anw benefit

Your Anw survivor benefit has not changed. However, if there is a change in your personal situation, your survivor benefit may also change as a result.

What does this mean for your child benefit?

If you were receiving Dutch child benefit for a child living in the UK in the 4th quarter of 2020, you can continue to receive it as before. If you have your first child or another child in the UK after 31 December 2020, you cannot get Dutch child benefit for that child.

What does this mean for international postings to the UK?

An A1 certificate can still be issued on or after 1 January 2021. In principle, you will continue to be covered by the Dutch social insurance schemes. However, if you live in the UK you will not be insured under the Dutch child benefit scheme. If you live in the Netherlands, you will normally be covered for child benefit.

N.B. The free movement of services to and from the UK ended as from 1 January 2021. This means that you can only be posted to work there if you meet the UK’s own requirements for residence and work permits. An A1 certificate no longer guarantees you this right.

What does this mean for your AOW pension?

You already receive AOW pension

Your AOW pension has not changed. However, if there is a change in your personal situation, your AOW pension may also change as a result.

You do not receive an AOW pension yet

The rules for calculating the AOW pension have not changed.

What does this mean for your Anw survivor benefit?

You already receive an Anw benefit

Your Anw survivor benefit has not changed. However, if there is a change in your personal situation, your survivor benefit may also change as a result.

What does this mean for your child benefit?

If you and your children or just your children move to the UK on or after 1 January 2021, any Dutch child benefit you are receiving for those children will stop. You cannot get Dutch child benefit for children born in the UK on or after 1 January 2021. However, if you work in the UK for an organisation recognised in the Netherlands as working in the public interest, you will qualify for Dutch child benefit.

When are you working in the public interest?

  • You work for the Dutch government, or for another Dutch organisation responsible for carrying out public tasks
  • You work for a development cooperation organisation which has been recognised by the Dutch government
  • You work for an international organisation of which the Netherlands is a member, such as the United Nations
  • You have been commissioned to work for the Dutch government, and you are paid by the Dutch government

What does this mean for international postings to the UK?

An A1 certificate can still be issued on or after 1 January 2021. In principle, you will continue to be covered by the Dutch social insurance schemes. However, if you live in the UK you will not be insured under the Dutch child benefit scheme. If you live in the Netherlands, you will normally be covered for child benefit.

N.B. The free movement of services to and from the UK ended as from 1 January 2021. This means that you can only be posted to work there if you meet the UK’s own requirements for residence and work permits. An A1 certificate no longer guarantees you this right.