ANW: what survivors actually get in the Netherlands

If you do nothing

• Most surviving partners get no ANW at all — the 2015 reform narrowed it to survivors with a child under 18 or a serious work disability.
• Families plan around a benefit they assume exists, then face the gap with no buffer.
• The gross-to-net difference is large (EUR 1,668.49 gross vs EUR 1,332.91 net in 2026), and the income ceiling (EUR 3,617.28/month) cuts it further.

If you decide now: check whether your household qualifies, and if not, size the gap and cover it through life insurance or savings. Track policies and the plan in Stage 3 (Money & Accounts) of the Personal Portal.

What ANW is for

The ANW is a state benefit for nabestaanden (next of kin) of a person who was insured under the Dutch social security system. It is paid to a surviving partner, and in some cases to a half-orphan child whose parent has died. It is not a pension based on contributions: it does not depend on how many years the deceased worked, only on whether they were insured at the date of death. Living or working in the Netherlands generally creates the insurance.

The benefit is paid by the SVB and is meant as basic income support, not as full income replacement.

Who qualifies

Three conditions must all be met.

1. The deceased was insured under ANW at the date of death (lived or worked in the Netherlands).
2. The surviving partner is below AOW (state pension) age. In 2026 the AOW age is 67.
3. The surviving partner meets at least one of the following:
   • has a child under 18 living at home, or
   • has a work disability of 45 percent or more, assessed by UWV.

If the surviving partner has no child under 18 and no qualifying disability, there is no entitlement to ANW, regardless of income or the deceased's work history. Most surviving partners under 67 fall into this category. This is the largest practical surprise about the benefit.

The 2015 reform tightened these conditions. Before it, a wider group of surviving spouses received the benefit, often for years. Today the ANW reaches roughly 30,000 households (CBS recipient data), down from several hundred thousand before the reform. [Source: SVB and Rijksoverheid, ANW background.]

For unmarried couples, proof of cohabitation is required: a notarial samenlevingsovereenkomst (cohabitation agreement) or registration at the same address for at least six months are the usual routes.

What the benefit pays in 2026

Amounts are set by the SVB and adjusted twice a year (1 January and 1 July). The 2026 figures from 1 January are:

[Source: SVB, ANW-bedragen vanaf 1 januari 2026.]

For survivors who share a household with another adult who contributes to costs (a "cost-sharing" situation), a lower amount applies (gross EUR 1,082.43 per month from 1 January 2026). [Source: SVB.]

A separate, lower historical rate continues for AWW recipients whose entitlement began before 1 July 1996.

The vakantie-uitkering is paid out as a lump sum each May, not added to the monthly payment.

Income deduction: why the maximum is rarely paid

ANW is means-tested against the surviving partner's own income. If the survivor earns from work, the benefit is reduced.

The SVB rule: a fixed portion of gross monthly income is disregarded, and only two-thirds of any income above that floor reduces the benefit. Income from a private pension (eigen pensioen, partner pension from an employer scheme) is fully deducted.

If gross income from work exceeds a ceiling (EUR 3,617.28 per month in 2026, indexed), the ANW falls to zero. [Source: SVB, Inkomsten en uw nabestaandenuitkering. Specific 2026 thresholds adjust twice a year.]

The practical pattern: a surviving partner with a child under 18 who works part-time may receive a partial ANW. A surviving partner who works full-time at average Dutch wages typically receives nothing, even if they technically qualify on the disability or child criterion.

Wezenuitkering: benefit for orphans

If both parents die, the SVB pays a wezenuitkering (full-orphan benefit) for each child until age 16, or up to 21 if the child is studying or has a disability. The amount depends on the child's age and is published by the SVB.

A halfwezenuitkering (half-orphan benefit, for a child who has lost one parent) was abolished as a separate payment in the 2013 reform. Its function was folded into the nabestaandenuitkering paid to the surviving parent. [Source: Rijksoverheid.]

How to apply

The SVB usually contacts a surviving partner automatically after the death is registered with the gemeente (municipality), but it is sensible to apply directly.

1. Go to svb.nl/nl/anw and start the online application using DigiD, or request a paper form.
2. Attach the akte van overlijden (death certificate from the gemeente), proof of cohabitation if relevant, information on the surviving partner's income, and details of any children under 18.
3. The SVB pays from the date of death once the claim is approved. Processing typically takes several weeks.

What to plan for if you do not qualify

Because most surviving partners under 67 do not receive ANW, the practical question is what does cover income loss.

The main answers in the Netherlands:

• Partner pension (nabestaandenpensioen) from the employer pension scheme. Most Dutch pension schemes pay a partner pension after a participant's death. Coverage and amounts vary widely between schemes; the 2023 pension reform changed the rules for accrual, especially after a job change. Check the most recent pension overview from the deceased's pensioenfonds.
• Overlijdensrisicoverzekering (term life insurance). A pure life insurance policy that pays a lump sum on death within a defined period. Typically taken with a mortgage, sometimes as a stand-alone policy.
• Savings and the deceased's estate. Subject to the rules on bank account access and erfbelasting.

The ANW remains a safety net for a specific situation: a surviving parent with young children, or a survivor unable to work. For everyone else, it is rarely the answer.

In the app

In the Personal Portal you record whether your situation would meet the ANW criteria, and where the gaps are. The app stores your partner pension overview, any term life insurance policies, and the SVB and pensioenfonds contacts your family will need to write to within the first weeks.

Join the beta ->

Closed beta -- access by invitation.

Sources

1. SVB -- ANW pages, 2026 amounts and income rules. https://www.svb.nl/nl/anw and https://www.svb.nl/nl/anw/bedragen-en-betaaldagen/bedragen-nabestaandenuitkering
2. Rijksoverheid -- Algemene nabestaandenwet (ANW), background and 2015 reform. https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/algemene-nabestaandenwet-anw
3. SVB -- Income deduction rules for ANW. https://www.svb.nl/nl/anw/inkomsten-en-uw-nabestaandenuitkering