Dutch bureaucrats learned to break their own rules—and save money doing it

When Harry Kruiter met Eric, Eric was struggling. Tax bills covered his kitchen table, and his hands shook. Two years earlier, Eric's wife had died, leaving him with two young daughters and growing debt.

Eric had already seen over 20 social workers. Each one followed the rules. They all said Eric had to sell his car to qualify for debt relief.

But Eric's daughters went to a special-needs school almost 20 miles away. Without the car, the city would have to pay about €6,000 ($6,900) a year for taxis. The emotional cost was also high. The girls cried every morning because they missed their dad. Psychologists warned this stress could lead to serious mental health issues, costing tens of thousands of euros per child.

The car itself was only worth about €2,100 ($2,400).

Kruiter called this "bureaucracy at its finest." He explained that everyone followed the rules, but the outcome was still terrible. Eric didn't lack services; he lacked a system that could see his whole situation.

The Breakthrough Method

In 2010, Kruiter co-founded the Institute for Public Values (IPW) in Utrecht, Netherlands. He started it with his brother and a homeless shelter director. Their goal was to help families stuck in problems like debt, unstable housing, joblessness, or addiction.

Kruiter studied families who received a lot of state support but didn't improve. Professionals often blamed clients or "the rules." But Kruiter's team found that there was almost always legal room to help. He noted that "nobody dares to look for it."

Today, his Breakthrough Method is used in about 100 Dutch cities, supported by a digital tool. This shows it's not just a local idea. It could be a model for any city dealing with tough social problems. It helps civil servants make specific, legal exceptions when standard rules cause more harm.

Kruiter believes that if a family needs a car to stabilize their life, they should get one. If a student needs temporary income to finish a degree, it should be provided. The main question is always: "What solves the problem?"

The method sees bureaucracy as a tool, not a barrier. Kruiter said they wanted to fix things but knew they had to challenge the welfare state. He explained that the only way to do this was to be more effective and cheaper.

The Breakthrough Method is about organizational psychology. Kruiter says bureaucrats get stuck in "defensive routines." To reach them, he argues, you must show them they can help people instead of just defending the system. The method highlights the human impact of their decisions. It then shows, using legal and financial terms, that a different choice is both allowed and smart.

A recent study in Action Research, co-authored by Kruiter, describes the method. It's a structured way to challenge old routines from within. It uses legal interpretations, financial models, and client input to justify solutions that might otherwise seem to break rules.

How it Works: Eric's Case

For Eric, Kruiter's team used the Breakthrough Method's "legitimacy triangle." First, they checked the law. Was there a legal way for Eric to keep his car? Yes, there was.

Next, they looked at the financial side. What would be the total public cost if Eric didn't have a car? This included taxi costs, psychological care for his children, and years of professional meetings. The answer changed everything.

Finally, they considered Eric's ability to help himself. Would keeping the car help him stabilize his life?

Allowing Eric to buy his car back and enter debt restructuring immediately improved his life. The number of professionals involved in his life dropped from over 20 to five. Public spending went down, and his family's stability increased.

Kruiter explained, "It's not about bending the rules. It's about using them to achieve what they were intended to achieve in the first place."

Positive Outcomes and Future Plans

This method has shown real results. In The Hague, a pilot program helped 150 people with heavy debt. An independent review by Ernst & Young found average annual public savings of about €22,000 ($25,000) per person. These savings came from less healthcare use and fewer social service interventions. The review also showed that solving problems builds trust and reduces costly long-term interventions.

These findings match other evidence. Integrated, person-centered approaches for high-need families often save money when healthcare, youth care, and justice costs are included.

The method also reveals "wrong pocket" effects. Many investments are made in housing, income, and debt relief. But the biggest savings happen in healthcare and youth care. Kruiter noted this helped convince cities to invest in social security again.

A 2020 study by Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences found that 81% of participants in The Hague program reported a better quality of life.

The health impact is significant. Kruiter explained that people with debt problems use about three times more healthcare than the national average. About 80% of these extra costs are for mental health care. The Breakthrough Method treats debt as a public health risk, stepping in before financial stress becomes a crisis.

Kruiter says his work boils down to a simple question: "What do you need?" He finds that families almost always know exactly what they need.

He shared a story about a 21-year-old woman with a difficult past. She had been expelled from schools, had €20,000 ($23,000) in debt, and faced eviction. The standard system would have put her on social assistance for four years before she could return to school. She wanted to go back immediately, but the system said no.

Kruiter convinced the city to buy out her debt and found her a school. She was expelled twice more but eventually got her diploma. When asked what made the difference, she didn't mention the debt relief. She said, "You believed me when I said I could do this."

Some worry that more flexibility could lead to inconsistency or corruption. Kruiter argues the opposite. He noted that in many cities, less than 5% of households account for over half of social spending. If you don't solve problems for this group, costs will never be controlled.

By requiring each exception to be legally sound, financially smart, and focused on helping people help themselves, the method makes these decisions transparent and auditable.

Kruiter finds the problem universal. "Bureaucratic life is basically, in big lines, everywhere the same," he said. "Everybody understands that somehow bureaucracy prevents us from asking people what they need."

After 15 years in the Netherlands, other countries are showing interest. IPW has presented the method at global events. Cities and institutions in Dublin, Aarhus, Toronto, Norway, South Africa, and Australia are exploring it. A hospital in Ontario is even looking at healthcare applications.

In Dubai, Kruiter's team started with basics. They told frontline workers to visit 10 families and ask what they needed. Workers were happy to have real conversations and see people's struggles, dreams, and ambitions.

The next step is for governments to take ownership. IPW is creating a self-help version of the method. This will let residents design their own breakthrough plans, with professionals supporting them. Kruiter believes people make even better plans for themselves than professionals.

His long-term goal is twofold: governments using the method internally, and a public version for citizens to create their own plans.

Eric always knew what he needed. His case wasn't special because it was dramatic. It was special because someone calculated the taxi receipts. For Eric's family, and a growing number of cities, that change makes all the difference.

Deep Dive & References

Citizen-centric: Powering through bureaucracy - Action Research, 2023 Sociaal hospitaal: Ervaren meerwaarde door deelnemers - Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, 2020