WWB and Participatiewet in Rijswijk: transitional law and changes

In Rijswijk, the Participatiewet replaced the Wet werk en bijstand (WWB) as of 1 January 2015, with specific transitional law for existing benefits at the municipality. WWB recipients in Rijswijk retained their rights until reassessment by the Rijswijk social team, but had to comply with stricter participation requirements, such as mandatory job application trajectories via the Werkplein Rijswijk. For young people (18-27), the 'guarantee act' applies: maximum 2 years of benefit without work, followed by intensive trajectories with local employers in the Haaglanden region. Asset limits were tightened and the one-off asset designation in Rijswijk was abolished, with a local limit of €7,575 for single persons. The municipality of Rijswijk gained more freedom in activation measures, such as the 'Rijswijk Werkt' approach with partners like Randstad and local businesses. Changes since then: in 2020, the municipality of Rijswijk increased the standards due to inflation and Hague policy; in 2023, the startersregeling for young job seekers in Rijswijk was extended to 3 years. Wajong recipients in Rijswijk are integrated via participatiewet benefit with wage supplementation via the UWV counter at the municipality. Transition from WW to Participatiewet requires notification to UWV Den Haag, with referral to Rijswijk. Older schemes such as IoW have been incorporated into broader trajectories at the Rijswijk Werkplein. Check your status via Werk.nl or the Rijswijk app 'Mijn Rijswijk'. This transition reduced the number of benefit recipients in Rijswijk by 25% due to stricter testing and local pilots. For personal advice on the transition: contact the Rijswijk Customer Contact Centre (KCC) or the SVB. Local historical context, such as the merger with surrounding neighbourhoods, helps in understanding ongoing matters. (248 words)