Household assistance (Wmo).

Household assistance is set to change during 2025. Read more information in the article: Household support from Wmo changes.

Domestic help is, for example, help with cleaning, tidying up or doing the dishes. You can hire someone for this yourself.

Do you need help with your household chores and can't manage the problem yourself because of an illness or disability? Then you can report this to the municipality.

Domestic help cannot be used for:

  • Outdoor window cleaning.
  • Taking care of pets.
  • Maintaining the garden.
  • Shopping.

Examination of what you can still do physically

Examination by physical therapist

When you apply for domestic help with the Wmo, the municipality often makes an appointment for you with a physical therapist first. That is a physical therapist from HRC Powerful Ageing. The physiotherapist examines how you are doing. What can you still do and what can you no longer do? Based on the physical therapist's advice, the Wmo department can better determine exactly what help you need.

What can the physical therapist recommend?

The physical therapist examines whether we can help you with a workout. The training is focused specifically on your daily activities. This is called "Powerful Ageing. Among other things, you will train for more muscle strength, more lifting power and standing firmer. 

If the physical therapist thinks that with this training you will be able to do your housework independently again, you may join Powerful Ageing for free. Household help is then not necessary. It may be that the physical therapist thinks you cannot participate in Powerful Ageing. Then the employee of the Wmo department will determine whether you will receive household help.

Are you required to participate?

Do you want help from the Wmo? Then it is necessary that you participate in the survey, if you receive an invitation. According to the research, are you able to participate in Powerful Ageing but do not want to? Then the staff member of the Wmo department will decide if you get household help. The staff member can decide not to give you household help. 

The study is being conducted by HRC Powerful Ageing on behalf of the municipality. More information can be found on the HRC Powerful Ageing website.

Step-by-step plan for applying for household help:

Read the step-by-step application process.

Step 1 > First, see what you can do yourself

Do you need help in your daily life? Often a solution is close at hand. Usually family, friends, acquaintances and neighbors can give you the help you need. Also take a look at the website Zoetermeerwijzer | Help with the household. On this website you will find more information about solutions to your request for help.

Sometimes you can buy or borrow an aid yourself that will make your daily life easier. Also, always ask if your health insurance might cover the help. You do not need the municipality for that.

Step 2 > Make Wmo notification

You can file a Wmo notification in 3 ways:

Personal plan writing

Are you making a Wmo notification? Then you can choose to write a personal plan. A personal plan explains what you can and cannot do and what you need help with. Please note! A personal plan is different from a plan for a personal budget.

Making a personal plan is not mandatory. The pdf document below has all the information for creating a personal plan. You can also choose to make your own personal plan.

Information for creating a personal plan (pdf)

Step 3 > Wmo notification done, then what?

The municipality calls you after your notification. An appointment will be made for an interview (the 'kitchen table interview'). Sometimes this conversation takes place on the phone and sometimes a Wmo employee comes to your home. During the meeting, the municipality will discuss with you what is needed. Family members or client supporters may also be present at this meeting.

The conversation will include:

  • Your personal situation.
  • Your request for help.
  • What you can do yourself.
  • What people around you can do for you.

Step 4 > Apply for Wmo assistance or tool

Does the municipality recommend help or an aid? The Wmo employee will work with you to apply for the aid or resource. A Wmo notification does not automatically mean that you will receive help or an aid.

Step 5 > Paying for the aid or device

Are you getting help or an aid through the Wmo? You can get it in 2 ways:

  • Care in kind (Zin). You get help from a provider with whom the municipality has a contract.
  • Personal Budget (PGB). You arrange everything yourself.

You also always pay a monthly fee. You can find more information on the page Personal budget and Care in kind.

Other information:

Learn more about household assistance.

You have help or an aid and you have a question about it

See who to contact with which question:

Ask your healthcare provider:

  • Complaints or questions about the assistance provided.
  • Replacing your help during illness or vacation.
  • The times your help comes.
  • Overview of assistance provided.
  • Your support plan.

Questions for the municipality

  • Change of your situation.
  • Extension of household assistance.
  • The quality of the help or aid provided.
  • Complaints about your provider.
  • Switching providers.

Cancel Wmo help or aid

When not using

Do you no longer need the device? Then you can cancel it yourself.

  • Fill in the form: Wmo assistance request or tool cancellation.
  • Please indicate what aid you have and why you want to cancel it.
  • You will receive a letter about discontinuing your aid.
  • If necessary, a staff member will contact you to make further arrangements.

When moving

Are you moving to another municipality? If so, you must inform us in time.

  • Contact the Wmo Department.
  • You will discuss with our staff member whether you may take or return the device.
  • Did you buy a device with a personal budget (PGB) or allowance? If so, you may have to repay part of the amount.

Moving from another municipality to Zoetermeer

Are you moving to Zoetermeer soon? And do you have help or an aid through the Wmo where you currently live? If so, you may be able to continue receiving this assistance (provision). More information can be found at: Wmo help or support when moving house. 

In the event of death

If the death is processed in the Basic Registration of Persons (BRP) then the right to the aid stops. The supplier of the aid contacts the next of kin. An appointment will be made to pick up the aid.

Do you, as a relative, still want to cancel the aid yourself in advance? Then please use the form: Wmo aid request or cancel aid.

Household assistance

Upon death, household assistance stops on the day after death. If there are roommates among the next of kin, the indication for household help may need to be transferred to the name of the next of kin. The next of kin (or the service provider) should contact the municipality as soon as possible.

Independent client support

Do you have questions about care, housing, work, education or parenting? An independent client supporter can think along with you. They know what help is available and know the laws and rules. They can also mediate in case of complaints and problems with the municipality or care providers.

For example, they can help you with:

  • Making your request for help clear.
  • Filing a complaint.
  • Seeking the right help.
  • Making an appointment or going with you to an appointment.

The client supporters work at Adviespunt Zorgbelang and not at the municipality or a health care provider. The client supporters listen, think with you and advise. They have a duty of confidentiality. The help is free of charge. Young people can also contact the client supporters.

For more information, visit the website of Adviespunt Zorgbelang.

Useful links

Policy

Other websites