Similar issues regarding the energy surcharge are at play in several Dutch university towns. The court in Amsterdam and the court in Gelderland ruled in favor of students who filed a case last year. The judges ruled that the municipalities of Amsterdam and Nijmegen are not allowed to exclude students ‘as an entire group’ from the one-off allowance for low-income households.
Because their living situation is very diverse, according to the courts, an ‘unjustifiable distinction’ is made between people who do and do not study. Students who pay their own energy bills are therefore also the victims of the high energy prices. Several municipalities are considering appealing the court rulings.