Almost two-thirds of parents who claim childcare benefits pay more than the government’s maximum hourly rate, leaving them with hundreds of euros in costs the benefit does not cover, according to national statistics agency CBS. Parents claiming the benefit spent an average of €10,510 on childcare in 2025, of which 68% was covered, up from 65% in 2024. In 2025, 63% of parents paid more than the maximum rate for at least one child. On average, parents paid €3,340 towards childcare themselves last year – €2,860 in regular contributions, plus an extra €480 to cover fees above the official maximum. In Nunspeet, Bloemendaal, Houten and Midden-Delfland, almost 90% pay more than the maximum rate, compared with just 8% on the island of Ameland.