Surinamese on Dutch social assistance should be careful with sending euros to family

Imagine: you live in the Netherlands, receive social assistance benefits and want to provide financial assistance to your family in Suriname (or elsewhere).

Is that allowed? Many Surinamese Dutch people have that question, especially because social assistance is intended as a safety net for living in the Netherlands.

Although Surinamese are not the largest group of welfare recipients – that honor goes to Moroccan Dutch – they do make up a significant part.

For the first generation of Surinamese, this percentage was around 11.7% in 2023. The second generation does slightly better, with 6.8%, but that is also above the national average.

The good news? There are no specific rules that prohibit sending money abroad. However, the municipality may notice if you regularly transfer euros.

Social assistance agencies can then investigate whether you have hidden income. Transparency is therefore important to prevent problems such as reclaiming the benefit.

Also on holiday to Suriname? That is allowed, but with a limit.

Welfare recipients are allowed to go abroad for a maximum of four weeks a year and must report this to their municipality in advance. Longer stays can jeopardize your benefits.

In short, it is no problem to help your family, as long as you are aware of the rules and play your cards openly.