The Flemish government has agreed to expand the criteria for accessing social benefits and grants, considering not only salaries but also income from dividends.
Applicants will now need to provide a declaration of assets.
Other types of income, like savings accounts or pension savings, will be excluded to protect small savers.
The Flemish Socialists, Vooruit, had pushed for broader asset criteria. Vooruit Vice-President, Melissa Depraetere, argued that social benefits should not go to wealthy professionals hiding income through accounting loopholes but to those in genuine need.
She emphasised that dividends would now be taken into account alongside salaries, ensuring social assistance targets those who truly require it.
Her N-VA colleague, Ben Weyts, supported this approach, calling it a fairer system.
The government will also establish a register of social benefit recipients to prevent abuse and ensure benefits are not overaccumulated.
Flemish Finance Minister Matthias Diependaele said that if the gap between working and not working becomes too narrow, support measures will be reduced.
The registry will also help local welfare centres verify if individuals are eligible for support they have yet to receive.
Minister Hilde Crevits described the decision as a step towards a more transparent and fair system. She stressed that better income tracking will ensure aid goes to those who need it most while incentivising employment.
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