What childcare costs in the Netherlands, and what you get back
Dutch childcare benefit (kinderopvangtoeslag) is worked out on a capped hourly rate, not on what your nursery actually charges: in 2026 the cap is €11.23 for day nursery (dagopvang), €9.98 for after-school care (BSO), and €8.49 for childminder (gastouder). It covers at most 230 hours a month per child. Households with a combined income up to about €56,400 get 96% of the capped rate back. Above that the percentage tapers, and only the official calculator gives the exact figure. Checked 20 September 2026.
The 2026 capped rates
These are the most the benefit is ever worked out on, per hour, per child. A nursery may charge more than this — many do — and the difference comes back to nobody.
| Type of care | Capped rate, per hour | Back at 96% |
|---|---|---|
| Day nursery (dagopvang) | €11.23 | €10.78 |
| After-school care (BSO) | €9.98 | €9.58 |
| Childminder (gastouder) | €8.49 | €8.15 |
The last column assumes the top 96% rate and a nursery charging exactly the capped rate. Both are best cases.
The two caps that catch people out
Neither is on a nursery's price list, and together they are why the sum comes out higher than expected.
- The hourly cap. €11.23 for day nursery (dagopvang), €9.98 for after-school care (BSO), and €8.49 for childminder (gastouder) in 2026. Charge above it and the extra is yours in full.
- The hours cap. At most 230 hours a month, per child, however many hours you actually use.
How much of it comes back
Households with a combined income up to about €56,400 get 96% of the capped rate back. Above that the percentage tapers, and only the official calculator gives the exact figure.
For your own household there is only one figure worth trusting, and it is not ours: the Belastingdienst's own trial calculation (proefberekening toeslagen).
Where these figures come from
Government figures for the 2026 calendar year, checked 20 September 2026. Rates are set per calendar year and change on 1 January.
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