Huurtoeslag (rent benefit) in 2026: eligibility, rent rules, income, and how to apply
A high rent no longer rules out huurtoeslag in 2026. Check the home, registration, residence, income and asset rules, calculate your amount, and apply on time.
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- By Inburgering.org team
- Reviewer
- Reviewed by Kirill Svavolia
- Last updated
Can I get huurtoeslag in 2026?
You may qualify for huurtoeslag (rent benefit) even if your base rent is above €932.93. A high rent no longer blocks eligibility in 2026, but the benefit is calculated only up to €932.93 — or €498.20 when the oldest person in the household is under 21. You must rent a qualifying home, be correctly registered and legally resident, and meet the income and asset rules. There is no single income limit. Check your situation with the official trial calculation (proefberekening), then apply in Mijn Toeslagen (your benefits account); payment is not automatic.
Eligibility conditions
All core conditions apply at the same time. Some special situations have exceptions, so use the linked official rules if a standard condition does not fit your case.
| Condition | What it means in 2026 |
|---|---|
| Qualifying home | Normally a self-contained home with private living/sleeping space, a kitchen with water, drainage and a cooking connection, a flush toilet, a lockable entrance and, since 1 March 2024, a private shower or bathroom |
| Age | Normally 18 or older; limited official exceptions apply to some people under 18 |
| Address registration | You live in the Netherlands, and everyone living there is registered at the home address in the Personal Records Database (BRP) |
| Nationality or residence | You, your benefit partner and co-residents aged 18 or older have Dutch nationality or lawful residence; permit-pending and appeal situations can have exceptions |
| Contract and payment | You have a rental agreement, pay the rent yourself and can prove the payments with bank statements |
| Ownership | Your benefit partner or co-resident is not the owner of the rented home |
| Income | Your income is not too high. There is no fixed ceiling: the result depends on rent, age and household, and partner or co-resident income usually counts |
| Assets on 1 January | At most €38,479 without a benefit partner; at most €76,958 together with a benefit partner; each adult co-resident may have at most €38,479 |
| Base rent | There is no maximum rent for eligibility in 2026, but only the base rent (kale huur) counts and calculation ceilings still apply |
Sharing only an entrance, hall, stairs or lift can still leave a home self-contained. Sharing a kitchen, toilet, shower or bathroom normally does not. A houseboat does not qualify, but some fixed floating homes can; a holiday home needs permission for permanent occupation. Designated student or supported housing and other special situations can have separate rules.
Rent rules for 2026
| 2026 rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Eligibility | Rent above €932.93 no longer disqualifies you by itself |
| Standard calculation ceiling | The benefit is calculated on at most €932.93 of base rent per month |
| Households under 21 | The ceiling is €498.20 when the oldest person in the household is under 21; if anyone is 21 or older, the €932.93 ceiling applies |
| Costs included | Only base rent counts. Service costs, gas, water, electricity and other additional costs do not count from 2026 |
Income and benefit amount
The amount depends on your estimated annual income, base rent, age and household. Lower income usually means more benefit, but you always pay part of the rent yourself. Use the official trial calculation before applying. Do not rely on that calculator if you have special assets or income, receive care at home, or have been away from home for more than a year; ask Dienst Toeslagen to assess the special situation.
Applying in Mijn Toeslagen
You need a citizen service number (BSN) and DigiD (Dutch digital identity). Mijn Toeslagen is available only in Dutch. Enter your address, base rent, expected annual income and household details. If your contract has one all-in amount, ask the landlord to separate the base rent from service and utility costs first.
For 2026, apply by 31 December 2027; an income-tax filing extension can extend that deadline. You normally apply once, and the benefit continues while you remain eligible. It is paid monthly as an advance and settled later against your actual income, so keep the estimate current. If you cannot use DigiD or need help, the Tax Information Line can arrange an appointment or direct you to a benefits service point.
Changes to report within four weeks
- Your estimated annual income changes.
- Your base rent changes and the landlord has not already supplied the new amount; always submit the new rent after a move.
- Your partnership changes, for example you start living together under a cohabitation agreement. Anyone moving in or out must update their municipal registration; the municipality sends that address data to Dienst Toeslagen.
- You move abroad or move to a home that does not qualify; stop the benefit if you are no longer eligible.
- Your assets were over the limit on 1 January. Assets acquired later normally affect the next 1 January test, not the current benefit year.
Moving and household changes
Moving during the year
Report your new address to the municipality (gemeente); it sends the address to Dienst Toeslagen. When the new address appears in Mijn Toeslagen — usually within one to five working days — submit the new base rent. You do not need a new application when you move to another qualifying rental home. If you move to an owner-occupied home, abroad or another non-qualifying home, stop the benefit within four weeks.
| Person | Income | Assets on 1 January 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant | Your own means-tested income counts | At most €38,479 without a benefit partner; a minor child’s assets are normally added to yours |
| Benefit partner (toeslagpartner) | Your partner’s income counts with yours | Your combined assets may be at most €76,958 |
| Co-resident (medebewoner) | Income usually counts; a recognised subtenant and part of a resident child’s income can be exceptions | Each adult co-resident may have at most €38,479; an adult child is a co-resident |
The legal definitions — not the label in a rental contract — decide whether someone is your benefit partner or co-resident. Check the official rules or ask Dienst Toeslagen if the category is unclear. You may also qualify for zorgtoeslag; see the health-insurance guide. For the underlying rent and home, read the Dutch rental-contract guide and the rental-search guide.
Official Sources
Official source checked: August 2026.
- Government.nl: Applying for housing benefit - the overview of rent benefit and applying through Dienst Toeslagen on toeslagen.nl
- Dienst Toeslagen: I live in a rented house - the core conditions: 18 or older, registered at the address, a self-contained home with its own shower or bath since 1 March 2024, a rental contract and rent you can prove
- Dienst Toeslagen: What are the rent thresholds for rent benefit? - the 2026 rent calculation: only base rent counts, service costs do not, and the calculation ceilings still apply
- Dienst Toeslagen: Your assets must not be too high for the rent benefit - the asset test on 1 January 2026: €38,479 without a benefit partner, €76,958 together with one, and €38,479 for each co-resident
- Dienst Toeslagen: Your income is not too high for rent benefit - that there is no single income limit — how high your income may be depends on your rent, age and household
- Dienst Toeslagen: I am not Dutch — can I get rent benefit? - that you and adult co-residents must have Dutch nationality or be legally resident in the Netherlands
- Dienst Toeslagen: Huurtoeslag verandert vanaf 2026 - the 2026 changes: no maximum rent for eligibility, the under-21 household rule, the calculation ceilings and the exclusion of service costs
- Dienst Toeslagen: I want to apply for a benefit - applying with DigiD in Mijn Toeslagen, the deadline for a benefit year and routes to in-person help
- Dienst Toeslagen: Proefberekening toeslagen - the official trial calculation and the special asset, income and care situations in which it should not be used
- DigiD - the Dutch digital ID you use to log in to Mijn Toeslagen and other government services
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