The lawsuits were about the 2022 energy allowance, when the bill for gas and electricity went up significantly. The cabinet at the time came up with a sum of 1,300 euros for the lowest incomes, and municipalities had to pay it out.

Students also have low incomes. Yet the cabinet did not require them to receive a supplement. They often live small and in that case your energy bill is low, was the thought. In many cases, they do not really need that money.

Discrimination

However, can you make such an exception or would that be discrimination? Several lawsuits followed and sometimes students won, sometimes their municipality. But the common denominator seems to be that governments must come up with a solid justification if they want to distinguish between students and other citizens.

The Hague municipality did not do that, the ruling states. There are students who are in the same situation as other low-income residents who do qualify for the energy allowance. It is not clear why The Hague specifically does not want to give students money.

The municipality was trying to strike a balance. A rough-and-ready implementation of the scheme is faster and involves less hassle, but encouraged by the cabinet, the municipality preferred not to waste money on allowances for people who live small or share their facilities. The judge now demands a new decision. Similar cases previously took place in Amsterdam, Utrecht and Nijmegen.

400 euros

Politicians tried to solve the issue. In 2023 there was another energy allowance (800 euros) and then a separate arrangement was introduced especially for students with a supplementary grant. They received 400 euros through student funding agency DUO. In 2024, the energy surcharge was abolished.