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The SVB has served the Dutch public in the field of social security for longer
than any other organization.
It has been transformed from an old-fashioned government organization
with filing cards to a modern government agency with almost 3000 employees and
excellent and efficient service provision. And this is appreciated.
Our customers are very satisfied with our service, and we aim to keep it that way.
As an independent governing body working for the Dutch government and other agencies,
the SVB implements social insurance schemes and personal benefit schemes for pensioners,
survivors, parents, parents of disabled children with a child budget,
pensioners on income support, people who are sick,
asbestos victims, unemployed people with a pension gap,
people who return to their country of origin, former members of the resistance
and victims of war.
Every year, we pay over 37 billion Euros to more than 5 million clients,
with around 350,000 of them living outside the Netherlands. Implementation
of the Dutch social security schemes costs an average of 43 Euros per client per year.
Besides making the actual payments, we are responsible for assessing and either
rejecting or granting the claims. If a claim is granted, payment follows.
This process is carried out by service teams with expertise in the field of social security
legislation. Another part of our task is to provide citizens with information to help them
gain a clear understanding of their personal social security position and receive whatever
they are entitled to. Finally, we exchange information with other institutions and
authorities. This helps us to take decisions quicker and avoid having
to bother customers with requests for information as far as possible.
The SVB carries out work for various Dutch government institutions and other agencies.
Our main source of contact is with the Dutch Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment (SZW),
but we also work for other ministries such as the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS).
Other services we provide to individual clients and organizations include maintaining a
register of persons insured under the Exceptional Medical Expenses
scheme (AWBZ), managing the Pensions Register, the issuing of posting
certificates and implementing the voluntary pension insurance scheme. All of this is
managed by means of a single comprehensive, intelligent system, containing the insurance
records of 18 million people that we have built up over the years. All these insurance records
are processed via the system and kept up to date. The information contained in the system
is presented to clients in manageable, relevant pieces of personal information.
For example, each client can access the details concerning his or her own pension records.
In the case of people who already benefit from a particular scheme, the information
is used to make things easier for them where possible. For example, a family
does not need to submit a new claim for child benefit when a second child is born.
To implement the schemes, the SVB does not only keep in close touch with its
clients, but also maintains close contact with the government about the applicable
rules and legislation. For example, we test proposals for new legislation
to assess their feasibility, so that theory and practice come together.
The next few years represent a challenge for the SVB, as we will have to deal
simultaneously with substantial budget cuts and many changes in the legislation
and the schemes we implement. Yet, in everything we do, our priority will still
be to provide excellent service to our clients.
Why is it that our clients, ordinary citizens, are so satisfied with what we do?
The secret lies in our integrated services.
The client is central to everything we do.
Direct contact with SVB case workers with expertise on all of the SVB schemes takes
place on-line or with the help of technology where possible, but clients are also free
to opt for personal contact via the telephone, e-mail or by visiting one of our offices in person.
Do our clients appreciate this?
Yes, because they have rated it 8 out of 10.
But it does not stop there
New laws are always being introduced and legislation amended, and our organization
has to implement these changes, time after time.
We do this by re-training our staff and adapting our systems. We are in a constant
process of development and renewal, finding new ways to improve our procedures.
Client-friendly applications and digital improvements give our clients easier,
more effective access to their personal details, keeping the cost to the public
as low as possible. You can depend on it that we will carry on this process
of renewal to ensure client-friendly service
and the excellent implementation of the schemes entrusted to us.
SVB Throughout your life.