• An unemployment benefit is a temporary income in the event of unemployment.
• You can apply for an unemployment benefit online at uwv.nl.
• You will need a DigiD for the online application.
• If you don’t have a DigiD, you may also send your application by post. To do this, you must personally register as a jobseeker at one of the UWV offices.
• UWV determines if you qualify for an unemployment benefit.
• The duration of your benefit depends on the number of years you have worked before becoming unemployed.
• The amount of your benefit depends on the income you have earned in the year prior to your unemployment.
• If you receive an unemployment benefit you have several rights and obligations.

You can only claim an unemployment benefit if you lost your job through no fault of your own. In addition, you must have worked at least 26 weeks in the past 36 weeks. You must also be directly available for a new job and you must stay in the Netherlands.