Financieel Paspoort

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Open rules for financial self-reliancy facilities

Citizens are often confronted with rules that start with having to answer questions (filling in forms), questions that citizens often do not understand. Citizens are increasingly being asked to enter data digitally on websites, an additional hurdle for access to facilities. In the Netherlands, not only do we have to deal with a significant group of low-literate people, other citizens also experience problems understanding the questions and the official language.

After understanding the question comes the problem of seeking the right answer to this question. In addition to the fear that often exists that people may give the wrong answer, which has unexpected and sometimes serious consequences, citizens often do not know where the answer could come from. Only after answering all the questions (filling in the form) comes the next step, which consists of checking whether the answers are plausible and finally the administrative processing and decision.

Publishing the rules, including the necessary questions and answers, could make many facilities more accessible. The step to an automated assessment is then also within reach. As an example, the Financial Passport Foundation and the municipality of Utrecht have conducted a pilot for applying for an Individual Income Allowance (IIT). This pilot showed how much easier it would be for citizens if the citizen can collect the necessary data from the FP app, supply it, call-up the rule for the IIT and immediately receive an answer. The logical next step is then to provide the necessary personal data in digital form for the application under the direction of the citizen, so that the subsequent administrative assessment and allocation can also be done.

To be able to link open rules effectively, standards are necessary with which these rules can be called. Citizens also need tools, such as the FP app, to find, invoke and provide these rules with the relevant personal data.

In addition, it is necessary to have a standard for describing the necessary data that unambiguously establishes the relationship between the question and the location from which the answer must come. The standard used in the FP app is the Personal Finance Data Standard (GPF). This is described under Methods.

Who is Financial Passport Foundation?

The Foundation is a non-profit citizens' initiative, which originated from the observation that citizens are not offered an overview of all financial pillars such as governments, insurance, banks and pension funds. Citizens are expected to be financially self-reliant in budget management, tax returns, social insurance, pensions, etc., but they do not receive the necessary education or tools for this. In practice, citizens are (increasingly) financially illiterate.

The Foundation provides citizens with a free tool, the FP app, which allows them to collect personal financial data in a simple and fast manner, and provides an overview that they can understand. Citizens can also decide whether or not to make this data available in digital form to governments, care providers and advisers who are fully informed and can get to work immediately.