Financial health of Dutch households in 2025
The country's financial health improves, but not everyone benefits
In 2025 Deloitte again conducted a study into the financial health of Dutch households, in collaboration with Nibud and researchers from Tilburg University and Leiden University. The study maps how households score across five related domains: Income, Spending, Saving, Borrowing and Planning, and identifies which groups are most vulnerable. Although the overall financial health of the Netherlands has improved, nearly half of households (44%) remain financially Vulnerable or Unhealthy, indicating a need for targeted action. This report presents the key findings and makes concrete recommendations to make the Netherlands more financially resilient.
Snapshot of financial health in the Netherlands
The Netherlands in financial health levels in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, in %
Homeownership a major factor in financial health
The differences in financial health between households with an owner-occupied home and those without are large. Of the households with an owner-occupied home, 66% fall into the two highest health levels, compared with 29% among those without an owner-occupied home. The problems in the housing market are intergenerational, and a situation is emerging in which one group can accumulate wealth through their own home while another group cannot. The policy focus should, in addition to building, also be on examining the effects of current tax incentives and on providing targeted support to people who face barriers to accessing the housing market.
Gender difference
Women are making progress, but men slightly more. In 2025 the catch-up that women made in 2024 slowed for men. Both groups did make progress, but the gap remains large: 36% of men are financially Healthy, compared with 29% of women. Positively, for the first time more women are in the top two health levels than in the bottom two (51% in 2025 vs 49% in 2024), but the gap with men (61% in the top two health levels) remains 10 percentage points. Men are more often left with surplus money, report (very) easily making ends meet more frequently, and more often indicate that their spending is lower than their income. Appropriate policy to close this gap is crucial, and it is also important that households discuss the financial consequences of choices for both current and future financial situations.
Vulnerable groups
Working more is strongly associated with better financial health. Yet there is a group that struggles financially despite full-time work: full-time workers with below-average incomes. Sixty percent of this group fall into the financially Unhealthy category. Young adults (18–24) remain especially vulnerable: three quarters are in the two lowest health levels. The 25–34 age group also lags significantly behind older age groups. We also see a vulnerable group of people aged 65+ who have limited options to improve their financial health. These are different groups with a common problem. This requires targeted measures that are effective for each group, with shared responsibility across the entire financial ecosystem.
Buy Now, Pay Later: widely used, risk of debt habituation
Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) has grown strongly and is popular among younger age groups. Our research shows that BNPL users score, on average, lower on financial health. We also observe a problem of debt habituation. New regulation is coming that introduces a creditworthiness check and age verification, which is an important step towards robust consumer protection. Recommendation: combine market supervision with public information and early detection by market participants.
Homeownership plays a role in the emergence of inequality: households with an owner-occupied home score around 30 percentage points higher across almost all domains than renters. Nearly two-thirds (66%) of homeowners fall into the two highest financial health levels, compared with only 29% of households without an owner-occupied home; an intergenerational issue of wealth and security.
Keep financial health on the agenda
With this study we aim to keep financial health high on the agenda for households themselves and for stakeholders across the financial ecosystem. There is an urgent need for joint efforts by national and local government, employers, and financial institutions to improve financial health. This can include:
- Encouraging conversations about finances within households and at the workplace
- Improving transparency about the return on extra hours worked and simplifying the benefits system
- Providing targeted support for vulnerable groups
For all results and recommendations, you can download the research report via the button at the top of the page.
Previous research reports:
If you have questions or are interested in contributing to a financially healthier Netherlands, please contact us.
