From Jan. 1, 2026, publicly insured employers will start paying significantly more in differentiated WGA and Sickness Insurance Act premiums for the Work Resumption Fund (Whk). The WGA premium in particular is rising remarkably fast. What does this mean concretely for employers and what are the reasons behind these premium increases?
Premium increases in a row
Average Whk premiums rise more sharply in 2026 than in previous years:
- WGA premium: from 0.83% in 2025 to 0.96% in 2026 (+0.13 percentage point)
- Sick pay premium: from 0.50% in 2025 to 0.56% in 2026 (+0.06 percentage point)
By comparison, the WGA premium increase in 2025 was only 0.06 percentage points.
Sectoral premium trends
The UWV's paper Differentiated Premiums WGA and Sickness Act 2026 shows broad support for the increase:
- WGA premium rises in 63 sectors
- In 2 sectors, premium decreases
- In 2 sectors, the premium remains the same
So for many employers, this means higher charges.
Causes of the increase
- Increase in young long-term patients
A major factor behind the higher premiums is the increase in young employees who are ill for long periods of time, particularly due to pulmonary covid and mental illness. Because this group is relatively young, they often fall back on the WIA for long periods of time, increasing the claims burden.
- New case law Central Appeals Council
In addition, three decisions of the Central Appeals Council(ECLI:NL:CRVB:2024:1523, :1524, :1525) play a role. When calculating benefits, the UWV is no longer allowed to take into account periods when employees did not receive wages through no fault of their own. This leads to higher benefits and thus higher premiums.
The correction for old WIA benefit errors, by the way, has little effect on the premium rate, according to the UWV.
Impact of the 60-plus measure
As of September 1, 2025, the 60-plus measure will be reintroduced (term: 2025-2027). Although this will almost certainly lead to a higher WIA inflow, it will have no effect on Whk premiums. The reason: these benefits are paid from the Occupational Disability Fund (Arbeidsongeschiktheidsfonds (Aof)), where there is no individual loss allocation. However, a structural increase in the Aof premium has already been announced in the Spring Memorandum SZW 2025. It may become clear on Budget Day whether 60-plus measure will lead to an additional increase.
Increasing backlog of WIA assessments
The higher influx into the WIA is not only causing higher costs, but also increasing pressure on the UWV. A recent parliamentary letter states that the number of people waiting for a WIA assessment will increase sharply:
- From 50,000 in 2025 to 100,000 in 2027
- Possibly even up to 200,000 by 2030
A similar trend is also evident in other schemes such as the Wajong, WAO and WAZ. This can lead to even longer waiting periods and uncertainty for employers and employees.
Want to know more?
The UWV's full memo Differentiated Premiums WGA and Sickness Act 2026 can be found here.
What does this mean for your organization?
Rising premiums and increasing pressure on the UWV make it even more important to keep a grip on absenteeism and inflow into the WIA. Do you want to know what these developments mean for your organization and how you can limit the risks? Then contact us.
