Sandra Palmen warns of delays in childcare allowance compensation

Dutch State Secretary Sandra Palmen has warned the House of Representatives that delays in the compensation process for victims of the childcare allowance scandal could jeopardize the government's goal of submitting a proposal for all eligible victims by the end of next year.

The SGH foundation, which plays a central role in the damage recovery, is currently unable to handle the volume of incoming cases. SGH is processing approximately 300 applications per month, but Palmen stated this must more than double to at least 675 per month to meet objectives. To address this, a task force is being established to accelerate the process.

Currently, victims can choose between two routes: the SGH foundation or a digital portal called ‘MijnHerstel’. While the digital portal offers faster processing—potentially within one month—four out of five victims are still choosing the SGH route, which takes three times longer and often involves waiting lists in certain regions.