Recovery Organizations: Radar, SGH, and MijnHerstel — State-Funded Inadequate Compensation

Executive Summary

The Dutch state funds three external organizations to support childcare benefits victims: Radar Advies Groep (OTB for approximately 950 victims abroad), Stichting Gelijkwaardig Herstel (SGH, using a forfaitary compensation model), and MijnHerstel (an online portal launched December 2025). Victims receive only 15-31% of actual damages. In one court case, a victim claimed €654,159 but received €30,000 (4.6%). Contract values are undisclosed. Average processing time is 3-5 years, and total recovery is expected to take 5-10 years (2020-2030).

What Happened

The Uitvoeringsorganisatie Herstel Toeslagen (UHT) coordinates recovery across three external routes. Radar Advies Groep runs the Ondersteuningsteam Buitenland (OTB) since July 2022, providing casemanagement for victims in approximately 40 countries. SGH, operational since 2023, uses a forfaitary model based on personal injury law, with standard amounts that do not cover individual losses. MijnHerstel launched on 2 December 2025 as an online self-service portal. The deadline for additional compensation applications was 1 April 2026 (Staatsblad 2026, 32). Around 9,000 cases remain in the CWS (Commissie Werkelijke Schade) queue.

Evidence

The Rechtbank Noord-Holland ruled on 19 June 2025 that a victim claiming €654,159 received only €30,000 under the Catshuis scheme, a ratio of 4.6%. According to the 22nd Progress Report (February 2026), 69,000 applications have been assessed and 23,675 recovery plans issued. Radar’s OTB has documented failures including five casemanager changes without handover in a single case, 550 days of waiting, and an AVG breach involving personal data shared without legal basis. Radar refuses classification as a functional administrative body (art. 1:1 lid 3 Awb), which would make its decisions subject to objection and appeal. Business damage compensation stands at 0-4% across all routes.

Analysis

The structural under-compensation violates Article 6 ECHR (right to a fair trial) and Article 13 ECHR (effective remedy) because none of the three routes offer judicial review. Settlement agreements (VSOs) close off the civil litigation route, and novum clauses are routinely rejected. Radar may qualify as a functional administrative body given it is fully state-funded, acts with government authority, and victims have no alternative support. If so, its decisions would be subject to administrative law protections. The government’s refusal to disclose contract values for Radar, SGH, and MijnHerstel contravenes transparency principles. The 30-40% country-based deduction for foreign victims raises equality concerns under Article 1 of the Grondwet.

Sources

• herstel.toeslagen.nl (UHT Herstel Toeslagen)
• hetotb.nl (OTB/Radar Advies Groep)
• schadeherstel.toeslagen.nl/routes/stichting-gelijkwaardig-herstel/
• Staatsblad 2026, 32 (uiterste aanvraagdatum 1 april 2026)
• 22e Voortgangsrapportage via TaxLive (16-02-2026)
• Consultancy.nl: Radar OTB (29-07-2022)
• ECLI:NL:RBNHO:2025:8961 (Rechtbank Noord-Holland, 19-06-2025)
• NOS: Datakluis (16-04-2026), Inspectie OE (22-04-2026)
• Catshuis-akkoord 22 december 2020