Due to the war in Iran, energy prices are rising. A similar trend followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, when energy bills also surged. The government is now planning several emergency measures, though students are likely to benefit only indirectly.

What measures is the government taking?

The government is allocating around €1 billion. For example, it will become cheaper for some people to insulate their homes or trade in a gasoline car for a second-hand electric one. Businesses will also pay less vehicle tax on delivery vans and, in some cases, no tax at all on trucks.

What about energy bills?

To address this, the Ministry is reopening the Energy Emergency Fund, which can cover part of the energy costs for low-income households. The exact conditions have yet to be determined.

Will students qualify?

That remains to be seen. For now, policymakers in The Hague are not specifically discussing energy support for students. The focus is primarily on low-income households.

How did the previous energy fund work?

The Energy Emergency Fund was also in place in 2023, 2024, and 2025. It was intended for households with relatively low incomes who were expected to spend around 10 percent of their income on energy.

The fund was set up as a foundation in collaboration with energy suppliers. Not everyone could be helped, however, as the funds eventually ran out. In 2025, the budget was €56 million, helping around 120,000 households. This time, the government is considering a budget of €195 million.

A foundation? So it’s not a public fund?

Correct. The government had hoped to make it a public fund, but no implementing agency was willing to take it on, according to Social Affairs Minister Vijlbrief in response to parliamentary questions. European accountability rules and the need to manually assess the many expected applications make it “unworkable,” according to agencies such as the Tax Administration, the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV), and the Social Insurance Bank. A foundation allows for more flexibility.

What about the energy allowance at the time?

In 2022 and 2023, municipalities distributed an energy allowance of €1,300. However, students were often excluded. The government at the time advised municipalities not to grant the allowance to students.

Isn’t that discrimination?

Many students certainly saw it that way. Why should one low-income resident receive support while another does not? Students filed lawsuits, sometimes successfully, sometimes not.

Did the government respond?

To some extent. Through the student finance agency (DUO), a one-time payment of €400 was introduced for students who were eligible for (or had previously received) a supplementary grant. The idea was that these students could not rely on parental financial support in times of need.

Wasn’t there also an increase in student grants?

Yes. During that period, inflation surged. To offset the impact, students living away from home received an additional €164 per month in basic grant support for one year—nearly €2,000 over twelve months. This also coincided with the first year of the reinstated basic grant.

Could something similar happen again?

Possibly, but the basic grant is already being increased, which will cost more than €100 million. This fulfills a campaign promise, and for now, the likelihood of additional funding appears limited.