{"id":196797,"date":"2026-03-18T15:59:47","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T14:59:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=196797"},"modified":"2026-03-18T15:59:48","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T14:59:48","slug":"toeslagenaffaire-ook-nieuw-kabinet-wimpelt-kinderombudsmannen-weg-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2026\/03\/18\/toeslagenaffaire-ook-nieuw-kabinet-wimpelt-kinderombudsmannen-weg-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Benefits scandal: New government also brushes off children’s ombudsmen"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If study debts stem from the benefits scandal, then write them off. That is the plea five local children’s ombudsmen make to the cabinet. But their request is turned down flat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFemke Legu\u00e9<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In the benefits scandal<\/a> the Tax and Customs Administration from 2004 wrongly accused many thousands of parents of fraud. They were fined and had to repay large sums, which left them deeply in debt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In recent months local children’s ombudsmen have campaigned on behalf of children of the benefits scandal who were saddled with high student debts. They wrote a report<\/a>: It’s not your (study) debt!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That report gives facts and figures about more than 1,800 affected students who took part in the ombudsmen’s research. They often borrowed money from DUO to financially support their parents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Phone number<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The previous cabinet opened<\/a> a special phone line at DUO in its final days, where children of the benefits scandal could go with their questions. But write-offs could not simply be granted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last week the new cabinet published a response<\/a> to the ombudsmen’s report and this week that position was confirmed in answers<\/a> to parliamentary questions from SP, GroenLinks-PvdA and CDA. The new cabinet appears to follow the course set by its predecessors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The cabinet greatly appreciates that young people told their story again”, the response says, for example. “The cabinet recognises the harrowing stories the children’s ombudsmen have gathered and shares the conviction that these young people deserve and need ongoing attention.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t

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Een lijst met artikelen<\/h2>\n\t\t\n\t\t
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