Money and making ends meet
Help with money worries and tax relief in Maastricht
Struggling to make ends meet? You can apply to BsGW for remission of municipal taxes, and there is help with money worries. What is possible and where to start.
More and more people in Maastricht are struggling to make ends meet. If you have little to live on, you may not have to pay the municipal taxes at all. That is called remission, and it is a right — not a favour.
Remission: what it is
Remission means a bill is cancelled. It is not a postponement and not a loan. You do not pay, and that is that.
It covers taxes that run through BsGW, the tax partnership that handles this for Maastricht: the waste levy, the sewerage levy and the dog tax.
When do you qualify?
BsGW looks at your income and at your assets. Broadly: little income, (almost) no savings and no car — or a car older than nine years — and there is a real chance you will get remission.
In doubt? Simply apply. A refused application costs you nothing and carries no penalty.
Mind the three-month deadline
This is where most people come unstuck: you have to apply for remission within three months. After that the option lapses.
And once a reminder has been issued, you no longer qualify. It is precisely those having the hardest time who sometimes leave the post unopened. With this letter, do not.
How to apply
- Online through MijnBsGW at bsgw.nl, with DigiD
- Or by phone with BsGW if online does not work for you
Keep your income and outgoings to hand: BsGW will ask about them.
More than just the tax bill
If the money worries run deeper, remission is only part of the answer. In Maastricht you can turn to the Social Team in your neighbourhood for help with money matters, debts and applying for schemes. Ring 14 043 or go to sociaalteammaastricht.nl.
Where SAB stands
Not making ends meet is no disgrace, and asking for help should be simple. SAB believes the council should grant remission automatically wherever it already knows someone is entitled. Someone on benefits does not need a form to prove it.
Frequently asked questions
Remission means you do not have to pay a tax bill because you cannot. It is not a loan and not a postponement: the bill is cancelled.
Municipal and water board taxes that run through BsGW — think of the waste levy, the sewerage levy and the dog tax.
A car older than nine years is usually not an obstacle. A newer car can stand in the way, because it counts as an asset.
Then you can no longer apply for remission on that bill. Ring BsGW anyway and ask about a payment arrangement. And next year, apply in good time.
Cannot work it out?
The help desk helps you free of charge, including with reports and applications. Fill in the form and we will get in touch.
Go to the help desk