VNG leader calls for method Laurentien: 'It's healing for allowance parents'

Dordrecht alderman Peter Heijkoop stands up for Princess Laurentien. Her approach to faster compensation for allowance parents must continue, says Heijkoop, also a VNG director. “It has a healing effect.”

Marjolein Groenendijk 11-06-24, 07:02

There has been a stir about the high amounts that are paid out to victims. Heijkoop recently spoke to a victim who participated in the trial run by the Equal Recovery Foundation. ,, She found it very pleasant. I think everyone sees that this method of judgement-free listening is incredibly good for parents. It's really unpalatable when a line crosses.”

A week and a half ago, the Laurentien method was temporarily discontinued. The Ministry of Finance believes that the foundation is too generous. Around three hundred victims participated in the trial. On average, they received 128,000 euros in compensation.

That is a lot of money, says outgoing Secretary of State Aukje de Vries (Allowances, VVD). An evaluation revealed things that she “is not good at explaining”. It turned out that damage that occurred before the benefits affair is also reimbursed. “There also seems to be an accumulation of similar claims.”

Princess Laurentien reacted as if she was stung by a wasp. ,, The fuss is annoying and affects us, affects me and also affects something fundamental,” she said in a video message of more than thirteen minutes. “Polarizing, talking to each other without facts, losing sight of the people concerned.”

It is important that the cabinet and the foundation remain in dialogue.

Peter Heijkoop, Councillor

Heijkoop calls the open argument “ugly”. “It is important that the cabinet and the foundation keep talking.” Many victims of the benefits affair live in his Dordrecht. The tax authorities wrongly labeled them a fraud, forcing them to repay large amounts of childcare allowance. Many of them ran into financial problems as a result.

The alderman praises the princess's “incredible commitment”. At the same time, he says he understands the criticism. ,, It also needs to be better at certain points. That's why it was also a pilot. It is important that this is looked at carefully. But I really hope that this approach can be continued and scaled up.”

Acknowledged victim

Heijkoop himself previously criticized the order for municipalities to “generously” help allowance parents. “The extent to which they were duped varies enormously. And then there is also a group that has not been duped at all,” he said at the time on behalf of the Association of Dutch Municipalities (VNG), the umbrella organization of all municipalities in the Netherlands.

“This criticism does not apply to Princess Laurentien's foundation”, he emphasizes. ,, It is certain that the parents who follow this route were duped. And I think that if they are properly helped there, they will make less use of the municipality.”

The municipality now also only assists people who are recognized benefit victims. “For that, we were dependent on information from the tax authorities. A few weeks after my call they came across the bridge.”

Recently, Heijkoop attended a cooking workshop held by the municipality of Dordrecht with the Drechtsteden benefits team with victims of the benefits affair. “Then you hear impressive stories about someone who, with the help of the municipality, was able to have their entire teeth replaced after years of not going to the dentist, for example.”

“The suffering is great, families are broken and many lives have taken a dramatic turn. At the same time, you see the sentiment in society changing. Yes, the victims need to be helped quickly, but that does not mean that everything is possible and allowed. With the Laurentien method, an important key to the solution lies on the table. We must not stop now.”

On Thursday, the House of Representatives will debate the Laurentien method.