WGA benefit and emigration to South Africa

Questioner

I am emigrating to South Africa while retaining my WGA benefit. But I read that when you deregister from the GBA your benefit is stopped. UWV says that benefit is simply paid. These are 2 contradictory details. I am confused by this. How does this work?

Lawyer

The UWV is the implementing agency, so if they indicate that it is possible to go abroad with a WGA benefit, you can assume that this information is correct. Incidentally, there are more people with a WIA or WGA benefit who live abroad, especially in Germany, Belgium, Morocco and Turkey, so that does not have to be a problem.

Lawyer

I advise you to contact the UWV again and explain to them that you are going to emigrate to South Africa and that you want to do so while retaining your benefits. Based on information from the national government (see link below), this is not possible. South Africa is not a treaty country with which the Netherlands has agreements in the field of social security. http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/Benefit-meenemen-naar-buitenland/Benefit-meenemen-naar-land-buiten-europa

Questioner

Thanks. But the answer that the last answer provider gave is wrong and/or outdated. Namely that link from the Rijksoverheid. Many other sites indicate that South Africa is indeed a treaty country, even the UWV indicates that. See here: http://www.uwv.nl/Particulieren/internationaal/zwevend/overzicht_landen_waar_uw_uitkering_mee_naartoe_kunt_nemen.aspx But my issue was not whether South Africa is a treaty country. My issue is how it is arranged that your benefits are not stopped because you deregister. It is namely the case that if you deregister from the GBA your benefits are stopped. But if you emigrate abroad you have to deregister so I assume that UWV somehow prevents your benefits from being stopped. I don't quite understand that. That is my question. Does UWV then make a special arrangement with the agency that pays the benefits or is it the UWV itself that pays that?

Lawyer

You are right that information from Mrs. Griep is not correct. The UWV is the agency that pays the WGA benefit. They have extensive experience with people who emigrate. Therefore, call the UWV, they will undoubtedly help you arrange everything.