Business Case Debt Mapping

There is no central debt register in the Netherlands, which makes it difficult to know exactly how many households are facing seizures or deductions from their income. What is known, however, is that a large proportion of people who seek debt assistance are struggling with problematic debts that they cannot resolve without help. Research from 2021 shows that no less than 86% of this group has debts with both private and public parties.

Background

In order to better protect the position of debtors, the Simplified Seizure-Free Base Act (Wvbvv) came into force on 1 January 2021. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment is also working on the Third-Party Attachment Streamlining Act (SKD). This act is intended to improve the exchange of information between parties that attach and settle debts, such as municipalities, the Tax and Customs Administration and bailiffs. A portal function is also planned, so that citizens can gain insight into their own attachment and settlement situation.

Purpose of the study

In order to make decisions about the SKD legislation and the associated provisions, the Ministry needs insight into the costs and benefits. Ecorys, in collaboration with the Debt and Debt Collection Research Group at Utrecht University of Applied Sciences, conducted a study to provide this informatio

Want to know more? Read our full report (in Dutch) here for an in-depth overview of the findings.