People who have come into contact with harmful substances and become ill as a result can claim a one-time compensation from January 1, 2023. The program begins with three occupational diseases, lung cancer due to asbestos, allergic asthma and “painter’s disease”.

“This scheme provides these victims with social recognition of their occupational illness through a one-time financial benefit,” Minister Karen van Genneep (Social Affairs) reported in writing to the House of Representatives on Monday.

Patients with one of the above-mentioned occupational diseases had to wait some time to receive compensation. The special arrangement was supposed to go into effect on July 1, but has been postponed. She called on the parties who had to implement the plan to wait in order to “process the victims’ requests quickly, carefully and easily.”

The minister considers it positive that the plan “finally provides compensation to the victims of lung cancer due to asbestos”. This group falls outside the current compensation system for asbestos victims. There was already a scheme for people with “painter’s disease.” It is continuing now. This group will also be expanded to include the self-employed, Van Gennip reports.

Van Gennep writes that once the compensation scheme is launched, and it is clear that “it can be justified”, more occupational diseases will be gradually added.