Utrecht allowance parents about recognition in fraud report: 'I'm still out of money'

Province of Utrecht - For allowance parents, the report on the government's fraud policy feels like recognition, but the benefits affair has not been solved yet. Some parents are still in debt because of the scandal. Today, the report found that government failure has ruined people's lives. And that can happen again in no time, warns the committee.” I expected this, we were crushed, but we are still being crushed,” says allowance parent José Verrips. De Amersfoortse was unfairly described as a tax fraud. “It's known now, but it's not happening fast enough. We've been recognized for three years and I'm still in custody. I'm still out of money. This is actually a quarter before the stage.”

is still out of money. This is actually a quarter in front of the stage.”

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Single mother Paula Bouwer from Amersfoort calls from Indonesia, where it is 8 p.m.

After years of living in debt, she is back on vacation for the first time in fifteen years. In Indonesia, she also closely follows the news about the benefits affair.

“I was already touched by the title Blind for law and man. That was immediately a big deal of recognition for me,” says Bouwer. Bouwer also speaks of recognition with the rest of the report. “For the treatment we received from the tax authorities. It's hard to imagine it's been going on for seventeen years.”

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Government is still 'blind to man and law', benefits affair could happen again in no time

Still in debt

“It starts with an accumulation of letters that you get at home,” says Verrips. “There are more and more of them. You just have to pay. We both make good money, but this is really about thousands of euros. You get sick after a few years, you live under stress. And your debt isn't getting less.”

Verrips and her partner, they've been together for 32 years, have continued to work very hard for years. The misery has been going on for over ten years now. And the problems are not over yet. But Verrips is still fighting: “For us, it doesn't matter how long it will take. Even though I crash. I want to bring it all out. As long as we don't bring this to the attention, they'll keep doing it.”

Bouwer isn't really positive either. “Only when the recovery operation has been completed properly, if we receive good compensation. Only then can we begin to process our traumas properly. The mourning is so great. It helps if you no longer have money worries, if you have received decent recognition.” But you can't really forget, according to Bouwer. “If you live at war with the government for twenty years, it has an awful lot of consequences for people. Trust is gone.”

The government was, and still is, blind to people and their rights. A scandal such as the child allowance affair could happen again in no time. This is what the Parliamentary Committee of Inquiry writes in their report on the government's fraud policy. That report was presented this afternoon. Between 2004 and 2019, around 24,000 people were classified as payment fraudsters. They made mistakes when applying for childcare allowance or were misinformed by childcare agencies or childcare centers. As a result, they had to reimburse all surcharges received. With childcare allowance, this quickly amounts to tens of thousands of euros.

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Hit the same

Single mother Paula Bouwer from Amersfoort calls from Indonesia, where it is 8 p.m. After years of living in debt, she is back on vacation for the first time in fifteen years. In Indonesia, she also closely follows the news about the benefits affair.

“I was already touched by the title Blind for law and man. That was immediately a big deal of recognition for me,” says Bouwer. Bouwer also speaks of recognition with the rest of the report. “For the treatment we received from the tax authorities. It's hard to imagine it's been going on for seventeen years.”