Key takeaways
- The base of social aids is the social integration income (RIS), paid by the CPAS.
- Family allowances are now regionalised, with schemes specific to each Region.
- Add to this housing aids, study grants, energy and renovation premiums.
- The amounts change often: always check the up-to-date figure with the competent body.
Every year, many Belgians miss out on aids they are nonetheless entitled to, for lack of knowing they exist. Social aids in Belgium form an extensive safety net, from the integration income to family allowances, by way of housing and energy aids. This guide draws the picture, distinguishing the main categories and indicating who to contact. One principle runs through the whole article: the amounts change often, so it is better to know the scheme and check the figure at the source.
The social integration income and the CPAS
The social integration income (RIS) is the basic financial aid of the Belgian system. It is granted by the Public Centre for Social Action (CPAS) of your municipality to persons who do not have sufficient resources to live in dignity.
The amount of the RIS depends on the family situation, divided into categories: cohabiting person, single person, or person living with dependents. Beyond the payment, the CPAS can offer social support and other forms of aid, such as medical aid or occasional support. It is the first point of contact in the event of financial difficulty.
The regionalised aids
Many aids were transferred to the Regions and Communities during the state reforms. They therefore vary according to your place of residence.
The main regionalised aids
Family allowances
Regionalised: the Groeipakket in Flanders, accredited funds in Wallonia and Brussels, a specific scheme in the German-speaking Community.
Birth premium
Support on the arrival of a child, whose amount and conditions depend on the Region, sometimes topped up by the municipality.
Housing aids
Rent allowances, renovation and housing-adaptation grants, specific to each Region.
Energy and renovation premiums
Support for insulation, heating and energy performance, higher for low-income households.
Study grants
Financial aids for students according to household income, managed by the Communities.
These schemes sometimes stack, and their access conditions depend on income and household composition. The competent body varies: Region, Community, municipality or allowance fund depending on the aid.
Aids for the self-employed and companies
Social aids for individuals must not be confused with aids for the self-employed and companies, which fall under distinct schemes: investment premiums, regional vouchers, support for creation and development. If you launch or develop an activity, it is this second side that concerns you.
Our guide to aids and subsidies for the self-employed in Belgium details the schemes intended for entrepreneurs, distinct from the social aids described here.
Turn a project into an activity
If your project involves creating an activity, Monsiegesocial sets up your self-employed status or your company and guides you through the steps.
Going further
- Aids and subsidies for the self-employed in Belgium, the side intended for entrepreneurs.
- Becoming self-employed in Belgium, if your project is to set up on your own account.
- Unemployment in Belgium: benefits and steps, for the employment side.
