Disability benefits, labour force participation, and health: Evaluating the effect of social protection policies

The Netherlands is one of the European Union countries that has seriously tightened welfare benefits criteria for disabled people in order to cut state expenditure. Its argument is that such policy encourages the disabled to start working, a big benefit for their health. But many questions remain. The EU-funded DLH project will further our understanding about the real long-term consequences of disability benefits for different social groups and education levels. The aim is to show possible effects on individual health and economic impact on households. In-depth examination of existing relevant administrative documentation will help provide valuable data to guide politicians and identify best practices.