From catching fraudsters to putting beneficiaries first: Trends in Dutch social security enforcement from a bottom-up perspective

Enforcement of social security has become increasingly repressive in the Netherlands. Obligations for beneficiaries are numerous, supervision is strict and sanctions are severe. The Child Care Benefit Affair (2017) caused a shock wave in the Netherlands. The general conclusion of this affair is that the human dimension (‘menselijke maat’) was sorely lacking and citizens became victims. One of the responses is the Social Security Enforcement Act (2023). This act deals with the recalibration of the enforcement instruments and has direct consequences for municipalities in the execution of enforcement tasks. The act offers more space to match the personal circumstances of citizens. In this paper, I discuss the initial findings of the analysis of the internet consultation of the law amendment based on 29 public reactions and on a focus group with eight social investigators. In cases of benefit fraud, the Social Investigation Department is the investigative agency. This agency specializes in detecting fraud cases, such as undeclared work, working without reporting income or concealing assets. The department employs social investigators (also known as 'detectives'), who are social security enforcement specialists. They are the "eyes and ears" of municipalities and are in close contact with beneficiaries. Social investigators are street-level bureaucrats. They enforce rules, interact with beneficiaries, and make decisions that can have a major impact on beneficiaries’ lives. Both the internet consultation and the focus group show that the changes are seen as a step in the right direction, however there are also doubts and questions about the implementation of the changes. Follow-up research through a questionnaire and in-depth interviews with social investigators should further answer the research question: How can the human dimension, according to social investigators, be strengthened in the enforcement practice in the Netherlands?