UWV vs DUO vs Gemeente: What Is the Difference?

Three of the most commonly confused institutions in KNM are UWV, DUO, and gemeente. This guide explains each one in detail so you know exactly which organization to contact for any situation.

UWV: Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringen

UWV is the national organization for employee insurance. Its core responsibilities include:

• WW-uitkering (unemployment benefit): if you lose your job through no fault of your own and you have worked enough months, UWV pays temporary income support
• Ziektewet: sick pay for employees who cannot work due to illness and whose employer no longer pays their salary
• WIA (Wet werk en inkomen naar arbeidsvermogen): long-term disability benefits for people who remain unable to work after two years of illness
• Werkbriefje: when receiving WW, you must regularly prove to UWV that you are actively searching for jobs
• Portal: werk.nl is where you manage your UWV account, report job applications, and search vacancies

DUO: Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs

DUO handles all education-related administration in the Netherlands:

• Inburgering exams: registration, scheduling, fee payment, and result publication for all inburgering exam components
• Studiefinanciering: student finance for Dutch higher education students (not directly for inburgering learners, but good to know)
• Diploma recognition: if you have a foreign diploma, DUO can evaluate it through Nuffic/IDW
• Inburgering loans: DUO provides loans (lening) to cover course and exam costs for inburgeraars
• Portal: Mijn DUO (accessed via DigiD) is where you manage everything related to your exams and education finances

Gemeente: Your Local Municipality

The gemeente is your local city or town government. Every gemeente in the Netherlands offers:

• BRP registration (Basisregistratie Personen): you must register your address at the gemeente when you move to the Netherlands or change address
• Passport and ID card: applications and renewals for Dutch identity documents
• Marriage and birth/death certificates: all civil registry matters (burgerlijke stand)
• Social support: WMO (Wet maatschappelijke ondersteuning) for home care and support, bijstand (social assistance) for people with no income and no right to WW
• Local permits: parking permits, building permits, events
• Local taxes: waste tax (afvalstoffenheffing), property tax (OZB)

Comparison Table

Topic	Go to
Lost your job, need income	UWV
Schedule inburgering exam	DUO
Register your home address	Gemeente
Apply for unemployment benefit	UWV
Check exam results	DUO
Get a birth certificate	Gemeente
Prove you are job searching	UWV (werkbriefje)
Apply for inburgering loan	DUO
Apply for bijstand (social assistance)	Gemeente
Long-term disability benefit	UWV (WIA)

Common Mistakes

Going to gemeente for exam questions: Your gemeente does not manage inburgering exams. For anything about exam dates, results, or fees, go to DUO. Your gemeente may help with your PIP (learning plan) and finding a language school, but the exams themselves are DUO’s responsibility.

Going to UWV when self-employed: UWV handles employee insurance only. If you are a ZZP’er (self-employed), you register at KvK (Kamer van Koophandel) and handle taxes through the Belastingdienst. UWV generally does not provide benefits to self-employed workers.

Confusing gemeente and Rijksoverheid: The gemeente is local government. Rijksoverheid is the national government. Immigration law, for example, is national (IND falls under Rijksoverheid), but registering your address is local (gemeente). When in doubt, check whether the issue is about your city or about national policy.