The major health insurer, DSW, plans to raise premiums by an extra ā¬9.75 per month in 2023. They are just the first health insurance company to reveal their new premiums ā but it doesnāt bode well for any of us.
Customers of DSW will be paying an extra ā¬117 for the same insurance they paid for the year before. However, this means that they could be setting a worrying trend for other Dutch health insurance providers to follow.
With the cost of living constantly on the uprise, it seems like nothing is safe from inflation; and that includes health insurance premiums, reports RTL Nieuws.
Cost of healthcare on the rise
The increased premium, now bullying a grand total of ā¬1,650 out of your bank account a year, comes as a result of healthcare costs rising.
With nearly three million people in the Netherlands over the age of 60, itās no surprise that health care costs are on the rise. Image: Pexels
With increasing wages for health care workers as well as an ageing population, health insurers need to find some way to cover these costs, and, ultimately, itās trickling down to impact your own wallet. š¤·āāļø
Itās not all bad news!
Though the cost of health insurance is rising, the health care allowance is also rising. A single person with a minimum income will receive ā¬412 in health care allowance for 2023; more than ā¬34 extra per month as compared to 2022.
The less you earn, the higher your healthcare benefit. The increased premium rates will largely affect households in a higher income bracket; so, if youāre a lone working professional, at least you can be assured you wonāt lose out on those GP appointments! š·
What do you think of the increased premium? Tell us your thoughts in a comment below!
If you were in Leiden last night, you probably have a sore neck today. Why? Because the city’s residents spent their Sunday night looking up at the stars.
At exactly 10 PM, residents, restaurants, and lamposts alike switched off their lights in order to temporarily submerge part of the city in darkness. The goal: give Leideners a very rare opportunity to see the stars.
It’s very rare to see the stars from a city such as Leiden. Image: Studio Roosegaarde/Press Release
Seeing Stars is the latest of Studio Roosegarde’s many creative projects ā and we were lucky enough to interview the founder, Daan Roosegaarde, at Leiden’s beautiful observatory.
The night was full of good vibes, great speeches, lectures, the occasional drop of rain (of course), and stars. Standing in front of the observatory with Roosegaarde, we were given insight into his vision before the lights went out.
For one night, Leiden transformed under Roosegarde’s Seeing Stars project. Image: DutchReview
What is Seeing Stars about?
Seeing Stars is about reconnecting with simplicity in a time of chaos, and Roosegaarde puts this into words perfectly.
“It’s so beautiful to remove and reveal, in a time of social isolation, and energy crises, to collectively switch off the lights and bring this million-year-old light back.”
“Especially in a time like this when the future can feel scary, and you feel disconnected, the stars can connect us. So I thought, what if we could switch off the lights and bring back the stars?”
Can you spot the star? Image: DutchReview
Roosegaarde and his team want to show the beauty of doing less, in a time of burnouts, heatwaves, and life after lockdown. So what’s his key message?
“We’ve been promised a time of abundance, more time energy and stuff, but now we wake up and there’s less and ā we’re really mad about it, right? Seeing Stars shows us that by doing less we can actually reveal more, and I think that’s a really important message.”
“Why Leiden?”
As a magazine that’s based in the gorgeous city of Leiden, we wanted to hear why Roosegaarde chose Leiden as his next Dutch city to turn out the lights.
The occasional light was left on ā but it only added to the beauty. Image: DutchReview.
From the outset, it was clear that he was grateful for all the effort the city had made to realise his vision.
“I could never have imagined being here six months ago, and it’s so beautiful to see the city of Leiden embrace it, feed it, and make it happen,” he tells us.
“Leiden is a city with the courage to invest in new ideas, and Leiden said yes to this crazy beautiful one. It’s really emotional for me to see people adopt the idea.”
“What message do you have for internationals in the Netherlands?”
Roosegaarde has become a bit of an international figure himself, having exhibited his work from London to Tokyo ā so what does he have to say to the international community in the Netherlands?
Daan Roosegaarde and DutchReviews’ Abuzer van Leeuwen sharing a laugh on the classical omnipresence of clouds in the Netherlands during the interview. Image: DutchReview/Supplied.
“Creativity is our true capital, we live below sea level, so without creativity, we would die a horrible death. It’s embedded within the DNA of the country to be open, and innovative, to collaborate and communicate. And we can feel, that, and I love that part of the Netherlands.”
“What’s next for Studio Roosegaarde?”
“A device that sucks up the clouds,” Roosegaarde jokes. While the clouds did threaten to completely mask the stars, they still managed to peek through ā and we have a feeling he might have more on his mind.
Known for his creations such as a coronavirus-killing street light, lights that help crops grow, biodegradable fireworks and many more innovative actions, we expect big things to come from Roosegaarde.
The event made for some very magical vibes around the city. Image: DutchReview
However, we’re also thankful for being reminded of the bigger picture last night, as we’re sure many Leiden residents are too. āØ
What do you think of Roosegarde’s initiative? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
Autumn is coming! šŗ Orā¦well, whatever passes for autumn in the Netherlands ā cue rain, colder temperatures, rain, and clouds.Oh, and did we mention the rain?
We hope youāve got your scarves and winter coats at the ready, as temperatures are set to get much colder, much sooner this year, reports RTL Nieuws.
A mixed Monday
Today is going to be the warmest day of the week with temperatures of around 16 degrees Celsius, and sunshine āĀ for a brief while.
Wat leukā¦ unless you live near the coast. In which case you can expect clouds and some showers. Sorry guys, you canāt have the beach and the good weather!
Have no fear (if you miss typical Dutch autumn weather)
Tomorrow will bring showers, lower temperatures, and more wind than youād probably be happy with. š¬
TikTokker @alijhali explains it way better than we could. š
Whatās with the showers?
Buienrader blames this particularly dreary forecast on the autumn temperature difference between the relatively warmer seawater and colder upper air.
Temperature differences decrease whilst over land, unlike bitterballen which get warmer the closer they are to your mouth (burnt tongue gang unite š¤).
This is why regions like the Achterhoek and Twente can expect far less rain than coastal regions.
History isnāt repeating itselfā¦ sadly
Our weather forecast is far cry from last yearās Indian summer, where temperatures were around 23 degrees Celsius at this time of year.
In fact, the normal temperature for this time of the year would be 18 degrees Celsius ā but we guess the weather gods decided we need something else to complain about. š¤·š»āāļø
How do you feel about the quick slide into cold, wet autumn weather? Tell us all about it in the comments below!
Turns out the land of canals and windmills still has some water issues; while the water shortage is over, this doesn’t mean the problem is solved.
The country known for keeping water out doesn’t have enough within. This past extremely warm Dutch summer caused a national water shortage across the Netherlands.
While it looks like itās over now, and we don’t need to worry about not having water in our taps over the next few months, the problem is actually not solved, RTL Nieuws reports.
Not as good with water as we thought?
You might think that for the Dutchies, the sky is the limit when it comes to water, but in reality, the country is struggling with having enough water for every household.
Watering the lawn with drinking water won’t be an option. Image: Depositphotos
“The water comes out of the tap, that seems obvious, but it is not,” Dutch water companies write in a new report.
They warn that future generations in the Netherlands might have a less secure supply of reliable drinking water than now. This past hot summer alone caused the drying out of water extraction sites.
Thatās not simply because the Dutch canāt get enough of drinking water either. In fact, their nice and clean water is used for washing cars, flushing the toilet, keeping golf courses green and cooling down entire factories.Ā
The report claims that water management should be higher on the priority list regarding the Dutch governmentās spatial and economic planning.
New crisis is on the way!
According to Vewin, one of the biggest struggles when it comes to problem-solving is getting permits for expanding water extraction locations.
This issue also isnāt helped by the governmentās plans to build 900,000 new homes by 2030. There are simply not enough extraction locations, the NRC reports.Ā
And the result? Dutch water companies can no longer guarantee to have clean water in every tap.
If you one day find your bathtub without water, maybe itās time to consult the late fashion editor, Diana Vreeland: why donāt you wash your childās hair with champagne?
What do you think about the water storage problem? Tell us in the comments!
With the ongoing housing crisis in the Netherlands seemingly destined to get worse, the government has come up with one sure solution: just build on top of other houses!
The Dutch cabinet has proposed to build a grand total of 900,000 new homes by 2030. How do they plan on managing this with limited space? By simply building new complexes on top of other buildings, reports NOS.
Makes senseā¦right? š¤·āāļøĀ
Actually, yes. Believe it or not, there is some smart thinking in solving the problem this way.
Weāre building up, up, up! š¢
Building on top of previous complexes isnāt an altogether new idea in the Netherlands.
In 2021, 10% of the homes built in Rotterdam were āoptop homes.ā New complexes were built using steel or lighter compounds than the usual concrete Dutch constructions usually rely on.
However, itās not as simple as just adding a new floor to an existing building. For one, the construction would be a real earache to current residents.
Whatās in it for us?
Architect Eric Vreedenburgh has been working on the building of āair-bound constructionā for 25 years. He acknowledges to NOS that, for current residents, there are no real advantages to them having an extra floor (or ten!).
Get ready for more high-rises; weāre going up! Image: Pexels
Solutions to this issue have been to offer residents some benefits, such as refurbishing or modernising their homes as compensation for the inconvenience, project developer Levi Koppenhol tells the NOS.
Could build 5,000 to 10,000 new homes a year
The benefit of optopping (yes, this is a verb) is that many thousands of new homes could be built every year.
In Rotterdam, for example, due to the city’s abundance of flattened roofs, itās possible to build hundreds of new apartments on top of existing buildings.Ā
The potential of this idea is seen in Phoenix 1, a building with over 200 apartments. It was actually built on top of an old warehouse in Rotterdam and is now home to hundreds of residents.
New ideas, new concepts
One of the major changes about building buildings on top of buildings (thereās a tongue twister for you!), is that different materials are used.
As Michiel Visscher, the constructor of another optop building in Amsterdam, tells the NOS, āBuilding is always difficult. It is always a matter of taking many factors into account. In the Netherlands, we are used to making heavy buildings with a lot of concrete. To do that differently, you have to unlearn a lot.ā
āOPTOPPENā [LATER ADDING EXTRA LAYERS] is a way to create more room in cities in the Netherlands. Rotterdamās <Karel Doorman> is the largest extra building on top of another building in the world, 54m extra w 117 apartments, total height is now 70m.
Last night, 250 people were on board an intercity train in Limburg, when the front compartment suddenly derailed. During the incident, another oncoming train carrying about 15 people also went off the track.
Thankfully, no passengers were injured during the nightmarish incident. Instead, they were left stranded and taken to a nearby station on a different train.
Officials say the derailment was most likely caused by a rogue cross-section left on the rails, leading both trains to collide with the track. However, the police have yet to figure out how it got there.
This leaves the root cause of the derailment a mystery, and the police are busy investigating for a clear explanation.
One spokesperson said that the incident could have potentially been deliberate. However, itās more likely that it happened due to the piece falling off a freight train.
“It is a complex study. You can compare it with a study of a thousand pieces,” a spokesperson tells the NOS.
Train repaired and ready to roll
According to ProRail, both the train and the track were damaged by the incident ā but not to the point that train traffic was severely affected.
After repair, the train was immediately put back on track, and its services resumed yesterday mid-afternoon.
What do you think about this situation? Tell us in the comments below!
Itās been a rough year for hopeful homeowners in the Netherlands, thereās no denying it. However, letās take a moment to look on the bright side: the Dutch government is taking on the housing crisis as enemy number one (of many).
So, how do they plan on tackling this monster? And what progress has already been made in 2022? Letās talk about it.
We worked with the experts over at Expat Mortgage Platform to bring you this article. They know the struggles of trying to get a mortgage as an international in the Netherlands ā and, along with these hopeful steps, they can help you become a homeowner.Ā
1. Aiming to build 900,000 new houses by 2030
Step one: build more houses in the Netherlands. Image: Depositphotos
One of the main reasons for the current Dutch housing crisis is the simple fact that there are just not enough houses to choose from.
Thatās why, as part of Rutte IVās cabinet plans, Minister for Housing Hugo de Jonge has forged an ambitious plan: to build 900,000 new homes by the year 2030.
The goal is to eventually be able to build up to 100,000 houses each year ā and to be fair to De Jonge, this is looking fairly promising so far. As of the end of July 2022, 43,026 homes have been built in the Netherlands.
Of course, we also need to be realistic about the current energy and nitrogen crisis in the Netherlands. Some experts are saying that the governmentās ambitious plans may struggle to become a reality under these factors ā but for now, theyāre powering through!
2. Setting aside ā¬7.5 billion to build affordable housing
Speaking of new builds, the cabinet has also set aside a whopping ā¬7.5 billion to ensure that these new builds are actually accessible to buyers.
And, of the 900,000 thousand new Dutch homes that will crop up on the market over the next 10 years, two-thirds of these will be sold below the current National Mortgage Guarantee (NHG) limit of ā¬355,000.
De Jonge has also called for 30% of these new builds to be offered as social housing, meaning that itās not just the middle class who will be benefiting from these developments.
In fact, all going well, the majority of these new builds should be valid options for hopeful homeowners in the Netherlands. Start chilling the champagne! š¾
3. Investing ā¬1.2 billion in infrastructure to make areas more accessible
By investing in infrastructure, more remote areas of the Netherlands become appealing areas to live in. Image: Depositphotos
The Dutch government wants to make certain regions of the country more appealing for people to live in. And how do you do that? By investing in some decent infrastructure!
The cabinet has set aside ā¬1.2 billion in order to fund projects that will make it easier for residents to commute and live in certain parts of the country.
This will not only make way for more room for building, but it will also help speed up the actual building process. Klinkt goed! (Sounds good!)
4. Hoping to introduce a cap on rent in the mid-market housing sector
Another plan coming from the Dutch cabinet is potentially implementing a system to cap rent in the mid-market housing sector. This was suggested in July by De Jonge as part of the āAffordable Housingā memorandum.
What would this look like exactly? Well, if the cabinet is to have its way, the plan would put a limit on rent in the mid-market, with renters paying a maximum of ā¬1,250 per month.
Those in the mid-market housing sector often earn low to modest incomes and cannot afford to own private property.
So, introducing a rent cap will prevent landlords from asking this group of people for (even more) extortionate rent. Now thatās a change we can get on board with!
Itās worth noting that there is a counterargument coming from landlords, and we should probably be good and hear all sides. They warn that a rent cap will restrict landlords and prevent them from making necessary renovations.
5. Giving municipalities the power to deter landlords
Municipalities such as Rotterdam and Amsterdam are implementing measures to deter greedy landlords. Image: Depositphotos
Some of the Netherlandsā largest municipalities, such as Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, and Amsterdam, now have the power to bring in property purchase protections this year. To understand how great this is for the housing market, letās explain what exactly this means.
At the beginning of 2022, these municipalities were endowed with the holy power to introduce policies that would discourage investors and encourage property to be owned by those who actually intended to live there.
For example, Rotterdam and Amsterdam have now introduced a self-occupancy obligation for certain homes. Those who buy the property must also prove that they will actually be the ones to live in it ā what a strange idea?!
Essentially, the protections prevent much-needed housing from being bought up by investors and big landlords. Needless to say, this is certainly some hopeful housing news.
6. Converting office buildings to temporary housing
The government is looking to solve the housing crisis as soon as possible, so in the meantime, theyāre getting quite inventive.
Therefore, the Dutch cabinet plans on making a home out of anywhere possible in order to accommodate not just the general population, but also those in need, such as the homeless and asylum seekers.
As a result, recent months have seen office spaces, hotels, and even cruise ships transformed into temporary housing.
7. Tackling big landlords with tax
By taxing Dutch landlords more, the Dutch government aims to discourage them from investing in houses. Image: Depositphotos
In 2021, the Dutch cabinet made the decision to raise the transfer tax to 8% for those who planned on buying property for investment purposes (i.e., without actually living there.) This used to be 2% ā so it was certainly a deterrent for cheeky landlords and investors.
In fact, in 2022, we have seen a hopeful trend emerge, the number of homes bought up by investors has dropped, and the number of first-time buyers has increased!
It has now been decided that this transfer tax will be hitched up yet again for opportunistic investors, meaning it will sit at 9%. Make way, landlords, itās our turn.
Feeling hopeful about buying a home in the Netherlands? Us too! The next step is to reach out to Expat Mortgage Platform for advice on how to secure your Dutch dream home. It wonāt be long until you have those keys in your hand! š
Do you think these steps will help the current housing crisis? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
Lubach is well-known for his satirical (and rather controversial) skits from his show. The humour in his videos follows something along the lines of āthe more offensive, the betterā, as he pokes fun at āØliterallyāØ everything and everyone.
Naturally, he achieved peak popularity amongst the Dutch crowd, but many of his videos also gained international attention. Two, in particular, became a hot topic in the past weeks.
Cracking jokes about Vlad
On Wednesday, Lubach went viral with a witty video reflecting on President Putinās speech from earlier that day, among other things.
Putin announced in his speech that referendums will enable Ukrainian citizens to vote for or against a union with Russia.
With that, Lubach saw an opportunity to take a not-so-subtle dig at the Russian president. š¤
āHoly sh*t. First, he bombed them, then chased away or killed the pro-Ukrainian residents, and now he’s going to ask the rest: ‘do you want to be part of Russia?’ He arranges a referendum in a country that is not his. That is not possible! And if you can… Well, then we can do that tooā, Lubach says in his video.
Clowning on Queen Elizabeth
In his most recent video, the Dutch comedian poked fun at Queen Elizabeth II, who was buried last Monday.
“We start with sad news. We don’t have a guest tonight, because at the beginning of the evening, we, unfortunately, heard that she has diedā, Lubach says in his video.
This is hardly the first time that the comedian cracked jokes about the British Royal Family. Heās made it fairly obvious that heās not in favour of the monarchy.Ā
However, many felt that he went too far this time. Next to the vast number of views, commentators on his social media think he was simply being disgraceful.Ā
On the continent, people are somewhat bemused by the frenzy here over the Queen's death. In the Netherlands, Lubach (comedian) poked fun at our obsession by sharing the Queen's coffin-cam. https://t.co/qpj8jheqyy
The presenter said that there is far too much media attention on the death surrounding the British Queen. āIn Britain, itās all about nothing else. Itās really hystericalā, he says in the video.
Trump made Lubach go āhuuugeā
Lubach owes much of his international fame to a video where he was reflecting on the inauguration of President Trump.
Donāt worry ā the depot isnāt sneaking around in the middle of the night and nabbing your precious fietsen (bikes)! š²
Most of the depotās bicycles come from confiscations by the municipality, which havenāt been collected for at least three months.
Why bikes?
The foundation has delivered over 75 ambulances, 80 tonnes of medical supplies, and 12 support vehicles so far, but the ongoing war has left Ukraine with a severe fuel crisis.
Medical workers and volunteers have an almost impossible task of helping people when they lack the transport to reach them.
In a proposal presented to Dutch political parties Volt and Democrats 66 (D66), the House of Representatives wantsĀ to make ā¬100 million available to start a free lunch initiative at Dutch schools.Ā
Amongst all the bad news lately, itās nice to hear that something good is underway.
The proposal was met with enthusiasm, as both parties agree that the money for school lunches should be found in the budget, reports RTL Nieuws.
Children shouldnāt go to school hungry
With the major increases in household costs such as electricity and gas prices, alongside the ever-rising inflation in the Netherlands, there will be many families this winter having to cut down.
Translation: There are children in the Netherlands who will be brought to school tomorrow without food. Going to class on an empty stomach is not okay. Nothing should stand in the way of children’s development. Therefore, we propose (with @DassenLaurens) the free school lunch. #APB2022
Parents will have one less thing to worry about and will be assured that their children wonāt have to endure the school day while hungry.
Inflation on the rise
As inflation in the Netherlands beats records, reaching a whopping 12% this August, the pressure on wallets has never been tighter.
But, the government seems sympathetic towards the struggles of parents. Volt foreman Laurens Dassen says that the proposal for free school lunches is only the beginning; āBecause ultimately we want all children to be able to go to school on a full stomach,ā she says.
Prime Minister Mark Rutte also maintains that the proposal is āsympatheticā.
Finally, some good news for parents and children alike! š„³
What do you think of the proposal? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
