Becoming ill can affect more than your work. It may also change your income, employment position and ability to obtain a mortgage in the Netherlands.
For expats, the Dutch sick leave system can be particularly confusing. You may continue receiving salary from your employer, receive a Ziektewet benefit from UWV or enter a reintegration process. Each situation can be treated differently by a mortgage lender.
The Ziektewet, officially known in English as the Dutch Sickness Benefits Act, provides an income in certain situations where someone is unable to work because of illness and cannot rely on normal salary continuation from an employer.
This page explains:
What the Ziektewet is
Who may qualify for a Ziektewet benefit
The difference between sick pay and the Ziektewet
How much Ziektewet benefit you may receive
How long the benefit can last
What sick leave means for a Dutch mortgage
When you must inform your mortgage advisor
Which documents may be required
Important: You Must Inform Us Before Your Appointment
As a client of Expat Mortgage Platform, you are required to inform us in advance if you are currently ill, on sick leave, receiving a Ziektewet benefit or participating in a reintegration process.
This obligation also applies when:
Your employer is still paying your full salary
You expect to return to work soon
Your sickness started after your first mortgage calculation
You have already made an offer on a property
Your mortgage application has already been submitted
You become ill before signing at the notary
Illness and reintegration can affect how a lender assesses your income. We therefore need to know about your situation before calculating your borrowing capacity or submitting an application.
You do not need to provide unnecessary medical details. However, you must provide complete and accurate information about your employment status, salary, sick leave, benefits and expected changes to your income.
Failure to inform your advisor can result in an inaccurate mortgage calculation, delays, additional lender questions, a reduced borrowing capacity or rejection of the mortgage application.
Make an appointment with an expat mortgage advisor to discuss your situation before taking financial or contractual steps.
What Is the Ziektewet?
The Ziektewet is a Dutch employee insurance scheme for people who are unable to work because of illness and who do not receive normal continued salary payments from an employer.
In most standard employment situations, an employer must continue paying part of an employee’s salary during sickness. The Ziektewet therefore mainly functions as a safety net for people who do not have an employer that is responsible for continuing their salary.
The Ziektewet is administered by UWV, the Dutch Employee Insurance Agency.
A Ziektewet payment is called a Ziektewetuitkering in Dutch. It may also be described in English as:
A Dutch sickness benefit
A statutory sickness benefit
Sickness benefit from UWV
ZW benefit
Ziektewet benefit
The Ziektewet should not be confused with ordinary paid sick leave from an employer.
Ziektewet Versus Continued Salary During Sickness
There are generally two ways an employed person may receive an income while ill in the Netherlands.
Continued salary from an employer
When you have an active employment contract, your employer will usually remain responsible for paying your salary during illness.
An employer generally pays at least 70% of the employee’s gross salary for up to two years. Your employment contract or collective labour agreement may provide more favourable conditions. Many employees receive a higher percentage during the first year of sickness.
In this situation, you are on sick leave but may not personally receive a Ziektewet benefit from UWV.
A Ziektewet benefit from UWV
You may receive a Ziektewet benefit when there is no employer responsible for continuing your salary or when a specific statutory exception applies.
For mortgage purposes, this distinction is important. Receiving salary from an employer does not automatically mean that a lender will treat your income as fully stable. The lender may still consider your sickness, the duration of your absence and your reintegration status.
Who May Qualify for a Ziektewet Benefit?
Eligibility depends on your employment situation, insurance status and the circumstances in which you became ill.
You may qualify in situations such as the following.
Your temporary employment contract ends while you are ill
When a fixed-term employment contract ends during a period of illness, the employer’s salary obligation normally ends with the contract. UWV may then take over through the Ziektewet.
You work through a temporary employment agency
Temporary agency workers may qualify depending on their employment contract, agency clause and whether the employment relationship continues after they become ill.
You have an on-call or zero-hours contract
Your entitlement depends on the type of contract, whether you were scheduled to work and whether the employer remains responsible for paying your salary.
You receive unemployment benefit and become ill
Someone who receives a Dutch WW unemployment benefit and becomes unable to meet the obligations of that benefit because of illness may transition to the Ziektewet.
You become ill shortly after your employment ends
In certain circumstances, you may still qualify if you become ill within four weeks after your employment or employee insurance ends. This is sometimes called the continued effect or nawerking of the insurance.
You become ill due to pregnancy or childbirth
Special rules can apply when an employee becomes ill because of pregnancy or childbirth. A Ziektewet benefit may then be payable even when the employee still has an employer.
You become ill due to organ donation
People who are unable to work because of organ donation may also fall under special Ziektewet provisions.
You are voluntarily insured
Some self-employed professionals and other individuals may have taken out voluntary employee insurance through UWV. Whether this is possible depends on the person’s previous employment and when the insurance was requested.
Eligibility is always determined according to the individual circumstances. Having no employer does not by itself guarantee entitlement to a Ziektewet benefit.
Can Expats Receive a Ziektewet Benefit?
Expats can receive a Ziektewet benefit when they are covered by the Dutch employee insurance system and meet the applicable conditions.
Your nationality is not usually the main deciding factor. More important considerations include:
Whether you work or recently worked in the Netherlands
Whether Dutch social security contributions apply
Your employment contract
When you became ill
Whether an employer must continue paying your salary
Whether you receive another Dutch benefit
Whether you work across multiple countries
Your insurance position under European or international coordination rules
Cross-border situations can be more complicated. This is especially relevant if you live in one country, work in another country or receive income from a foreign employer.
For mortgage purposes, lenders may also look at the currency, country of payment and expected duration of your income.
How Much Is a Ziektewet Benefit?
A Ziektewet benefit is usually 70% of your calculated daily wage.
UWV calculates the daily wage using your insured salary during a reference period before the benefit starts. The exact calculation can vary depending on whether you were employed, received unemployment benefit or had another insured income situation.
From 1 July 2026, the statutory maximum daily wage is €309.91 gross per day.
When your calculated daily wage is higher than the statutory maximum, UWV uses the maximum daily wage when calculating the benefit.
The benefit can be different in special situations. For example, sickness directly related to pregnancy, childbirth or organ donation can qualify for a payment of 100% of the applicable daily wage.
The amount you receive may also be affected by:
Other income
Partial work during reintegration
Your previous benefit
Employer supplements
Collective labour agreement provisions
Tax and social security deductions
Mortgage lenders generally work with verified gross income and official documents. A bank will not normally base its assessment on a rough online estimate of your Ziektewet payment.
How Long Can You Receive a Ziektewet Benefit?
A Ziektewet benefit can generally last for a maximum of 104 weeks, which is two years.
The benefit may end earlier when:
You recover and can return to work
You start earning enough income from work
You no longer meet the Ziektewet conditions
You reach the applicable state pension age
Another statutory reason for termination applies
During the benefit period, UWV may evaluate your ability to work and your progress towards returning to employment.
If you remain unable to work after almost two years, you may be assessed for a benefit under the Dutch Work and Income according to Labour Capacity Act, known as the WIA.
A possible future WIA assessment does not mean that a Ziektewet benefit is permanent. This temporary nature is one of the main reasons lenders are cautious when assessing it as mortgage income.
What Is Reintegration?
Reintegration is the process of helping a sick employee or benefit recipient return to work.
This can involve:
Gradually increasing working hours
Returning with adjusted duties
Working in a different position
Making changes to the workplace
Finding suitable work with another employer
Attending assessments or appointments
Following a formal reintegration plan
Someone can receive their normal salary, a reduced salary, a Ziektewet benefit or a combination of work income and benefits during reintegration.
For a mortgage lender, reintegration may indicate that the applicant’s future income and working capacity are not yet fully established. Even when you are already working several hours per week again, a lender may wait until there is sufficient evidence of sustainable income.
Can You Get a Mortgage While Receiving a Ziektewet Benefit?
Obtaining a mortgage while receiving a Ziektewet benefit is usually difficult.
Dutch mortgage lenders base their calculations on income that is considered stable, verifiable and likely to continue. A Ziektewet benefit is generally temporary and linked to an ongoing period of illness.
As a result, a lender may:
Exclude the benefit from the mortgage calculation
Postpone the application
Request additional documentation
Base the mortgage only on a partner’s qualifying income
Require evidence that you have fully returned to work
Reassess an application that was calculated before the sickness started
This does not mean that every case has exactly the same outcome. Your options depend on the complete financial situation, the stage of your illness, your employment contract, your partner’s income, your savings and the lender’s acceptance policy.
A personal assessment is therefore necessary before you make an offer on a property.
Can You Get a Mortgage While Your Employer Continues Paying Your Salary?
Receiving salary from your employer during sickness can offer more security than receiving only a temporary Ziektewet benefit. However, continued salary payments do not automatically guarantee that your full income will be accepted.
A lender may consider:
Whether you have a permanent or temporary contract
How long you have been ill
Whether your salary has already been reduced
Whether your employer expects to continue the employment relationship
Whether you are currently reintegrating
Whether your contract may end during the sickness period
Whether variable income is still being paid
Whether your future income is sufficiently certain
An employer’s statement and payslip may show your current salary, but they do not always provide the full picture when you are on sick leave.
That is why you must tell your advisor about the sickness separately, even when it is not immediately visible from the documents.
Read more about how your employment contract affects your mortgage options.
Can You Get a Mortgage During Reintegration?
Mortgage applications during reintegration are assessed cautiously.
During this period, it may still be uncertain:
How many hours you will eventually work
Whether you will return to your previous role
Whether your full salary will continue
Whether your employment contract will be renewed
Whether you will move to a different employer
Whether you will eventually qualify for another benefit
A lender may therefore wait until the reintegration process has been completed and you have returned to a stable employment and income position.
Your advisor can assess whether it is useful to prepare the application now, base the calculation on other household income or postpone the application until your employment situation is clearer.
What If Your Partner Has a Stable Income?
A partner’s stable employment income may improve the available options.
Depending on the numbers, a mortgage might be calculated using:
Only your partner’s income
Your partner’s income combined with another accepted source
A lower mortgage amount
Additional personal savings
Equity from an existing home
However, a partner’s income does not remove the obligation to disclose your sickness or benefit situation.
The lender must receive an accurate picture of the entire household’s financial position, especially when both partners will be jointly responsible for the mortgage.
What If You Recover Before Applying?
Your position may improve after you have fully returned to work.
A lender may then request evidence such as:
Recent payslips showing your normal salary
Confirmation that you have resumed your regular working hours
An updated employer’s statement
Your employment contract
Confirmation that salary reductions have ended
Evidence that your temporary contract will continue
An intention statement from your employer, where applicable
There is no single waiting period that applies to every lender and every applicant. Some cases can be reassessed relatively quickly, while others require a longer period of stable income.
Do not assume that returning to work for one day automatically means your original mortgage calculation is valid again. Ask your advisor to perform a new assessment.
What If You Become Ill During a Mortgage Application?
You must inform your mortgage advisor immediately if you become ill after the mortgage process has started.
This includes sickness occurring:
After an initial borrowing calculation
After receiving a mortgage indication
After making an offer
After signing the purchase agreement
After submitting the mortgage application
After receiving the mortgage offer
Before the transfer at the notary
A mortgage offer is based on the information available when the lender performs its assessment. A material change to your income, employment or ability to work may require a new assessment.
Do not wait until the lender, employer or insurer identifies the change independently. Informing your advisor early provides the best opportunity to review the application, protect important deadlines and discuss possible alternatives.
What If You Already Have a Mortgage and Become Ill?
Becoming ill does not automatically change or cancel an existing mortgage.
You remain responsible for the agreed monthly payments. The most important question is whether your income remains sufficient to cover the mortgage and other living expenses.
Check whether you have access to:
Continued salary from your employer
A Ziektewet benefit
Employer disability provisions
Income protection insurance
Mortgage payment protection
Savings or emergency reserves
Partner income
Other insurance benefits
Contact your mortgage advisor early if you expect difficulties paying the mortgage. Waiting until payment problems arise usually reduces the available options.
Your advisor can help you review the mortgage, monthly costs, insurance arrangements and possible financial risks.
Does Sickness Affect Your Maximum Mortgage?
Yes. Sickness can affect the income a lender is willing to use when calculating your maximum mortgage.
A standard mortgage calculator usually assumes that the entered income is stable and fully acceptable. It may not account for:
Sick leave
Reduced salary during the second year of sickness
A temporary Ziektewet benefit
Reintegration
A contract ending during illness
Variable pay that has stopped
Uncertainty about future working hours
A possible transition to WIA
An online calculation can therefore give a misleading result when you are ill or reintegrating.
Use the expat mortgage calculator only as an initial indication and discuss the result with an advisor before bidding on a property.
Why You Must Inform Your Mortgage Advisor
Mortgage advice is based on your complete financial and personal circumstances.
Your advisor must understand which income is available now and which income is expected to continue. When relevant information is missing, the resulting advice and mortgage calculation may be incorrect.
Informing your advisor about sickness allows us to:
Determine whether your income can be accepted
Prevent you from bidding above a realistic budget
Select lenders with suitable acceptance policies
Identify additional document requirements
Consider whether a partner’s income can be used
Review important purchase and financing deadlines
Decide whether the application should proceed or be postponed
Prevent unexpected issues during the lender’s final checks
The obligation to inform us applies before the consultation and throughout the entire mortgage process.
Which Documents May Be Required?
The exact documents depend on your situation and the lender.
You may be asked to provide:
Your employment contract
A recent employer’s statement
Recent payslips
Bank statements showing salary or benefit payments
The official UWV Ziektewet decision
A benefit specification from UWV
Information about the start date of the sickness
Confirmation of current working hours
Information about reintegration
Confirmation of a return to regular work
An intention statement from your employer
Evidence of partner income
Evidence of savings or other financial reserves
We do not ask for unnecessary medical information. The focus of the mortgage assessment is your employment, income continuity and ability to meet the future mortgage payments.
Review the general documents needed for an expat mortgage before your appointment.
Make an Appointment With Your Advisor to Discuss This
Are you currently ill, on sick leave, receiving a Ziektewet benefit or participating in a reintegration process?
Make an appointment with your mortgage advisor before calculating your mortgage, making an offer or submitting an application.
During the consultation, we can review:
Your current employment contract
Your continued salary or Ziektewet income
Your reintegration status
Your partner’s income
Your available savings
Which lenders may consider your situation
Whether you should apply now or wait
Which documents will be required
What you can realistically afford
Your first consultation with Expat Mortgage Platform is free and non-binding. You will receive clear advice in English based on your personal situation.
Schedule a free appointment with your mortgage advisor.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Ziektewet and Mortgages
Is the Ziektewet the same as paid sick leave?
No. Paid sick leave usually means that your employer continues paying your salary while you remain employed. The Ziektewet is primarily a safety net for people who cannot rely on normal salary continuation from an employer.
How much is the Ziektewet benefit?
The benefit is usually 70% of your calculated daily wage. A statutory maximum daily wage applies. Special situations, including certain pregnancy-related illnesses and organ donation, may qualify for a higher percentage.
How long can I receive a Ziektewet benefit?
A Ziektewet benefit can generally last for a maximum of 104 weeks. It may stop earlier if you recover, return to work or no longer meet the conditions.
Can an expat receive a Ziektewet benefit?
Yes, provided the expat is covered by the Dutch employee insurance system and meets the applicable eligibility conditions. Cross-border employment can make the assessment more complicated.
Can I get a Dutch mortgage with a Ziektewet benefit?
It is usually difficult because a Ziektewet benefit is temporary and is often not treated as stable mortgage income. A lender may exclude the benefit or postpone the application. Your complete financial situation must be assessed individually.
Can I get a mortgage if my employer still pays my full salary?
Possibly, but full salary payments do not automatically guarantee mortgage approval. The lender may still consider the duration of your sickness, your contract, reintegration and expected future income.
Can I use my partner’s income instead?
A mortgage may sometimes be based mainly or entirely on your partner’s qualifying income. Whether this is sufficient depends on the requested mortgage amount, existing commitments and the lender’s criteria.
Must I tell my mortgage advisor that I am sick?
Yes. Clients of Expat Mortgage Platform are required to inform us before the appointment and during the mortgage process if they are ill, on sick leave, receiving a Ziektewet benefit or reintegrating.
This also applies when your employer continues paying your salary.
Do I need to tell my advisor my medical diagnosis?
You do not need to provide unnecessary medical details. However, you must provide accurate information about your sick leave, employment, income, benefit and reintegration status when these affect the mortgage assessment.
What happens if I become ill after receiving a mortgage offer?
Contact your mortgage advisor immediately. A change in employment or income before completion may need to be reported to the lender and could require a new assessment.
When can I apply for a mortgage after returning to work?
This depends on your contract, salary, working hours and the lender. You may need new payslips, an updated employer’s statement or confirmation that you have returned to your regular position and income.
Can an online mortgage calculator include my Ziektewet benefit?
Most general mortgage calculators are not designed to assess temporary sickness benefits or reintegration. The result may therefore be inaccurate. Ask an advisor to calculate your borrowing capacity manually.
Personal Advice About Your Mortgage and Sick Leave
The effect of sickness on a mortgage cannot be determined from the name of the benefit alone.
Your advisor must consider your current income, employment contract, stage of recovery, household income, savings and the lender’s acceptance criteria.
Do not make an offer based solely on an old mortgage calculation or online calculator if your health, employment or income situation has changed.
Contact Expat Mortgage Platform and discuss your situation with an advisor before proceeding. Your first consultation is free, non-binding and available in clear English.
This page provides general information about the Ziektewet and Dutch mortgage applications. It does not constitute medical, legal or individual financial advice. Mortgage acceptance always depends on the lender’s current criteria and your complete personal circumstances.
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