Dutch Pensions and Housing: Towards a Social Divide

Dutch pension and housing markets occupy a unique position in the European Union. Historically, they have a universal rather than a selective bedrock. In a situation where most jobs were permanent, the pension system produced adequate retirement income across the (working) population. While income levels were irrelevant for the allocation of social housing, access to mortgage finance was relatively widely spread as witnessed by the skyrocketing mortgage debt and a number 1 or 2 position in the ranking of mortgage debt as share of GDP across Europe. The future promises putting more responsibilities on the shoulders of the citizens, making access to pensions more risky and access to homeownership more difficult, especially for those with a lower income.