inkomensrechtvaardigheid

Inkomensrecht, literally "income law" in Dutch, is the field of law and public policy that governs the rights to and distribution of income. It is not a single statute but an area that draws on constitutional rules, social security legislation, tax law, and labor regulation to determine when and how people receive earnings, transfers, and other forms of support.

Its main components include wages and earnings protection through labor law; social security programs such as unemployment benefits, sickness and disability benefits, pensions, and family or child allowances; housing assistance; and tax arrangements, including credits and deductions that affect disposable income. In many systems there is also a concept of a guaranteed minimum income or a basic income scheme, either universal or means-tested.

Key objectives are to secure a minimum standard of living, reduce poverty and inequality, promote participation in the labor market, and provide risk protection against loss of income. Policy design balances universality versus targeting, contributory versus non-contributory schemes, and the interaction between income support and work incentives.

Legal and policy frameworks are subject to change and vary across jurisdictions. In the European Union, for example, cross-border considerations and harmonization efforts influence national income policies. Debates often focus on adequacy of benefits, sustainability, administrative efficiency, and the choice between universal programs and targeted subsidies.

See also: social security, welfare state, basic income, minimum wage, tax credits.