Approximately 14,700 long-term sick people who received sickness benefits from the Belgian government last year live abroad, according to a report by Het Laatste Nieuws (HLN). HLN's report is based on data from the National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (RIZIV).
In 2025, Belgium had over 576,000 employees and self-employed individuals who had been ill for more than a year. Of these, 14,713 lived abroad but received sickness benefits from the Belgian state.
Compared to 2020, this group grew by 58 percent, while the total number of long-term sick individuals increased by 22 percent. The health insurance funds do not immediately have an explanation for the rise in this group.
Most long-term sick individuals domiciled abroad live in France (45 percent), Spain (12.8 percent), and the Netherlands (9.7 percent). According to the socialist health insurance fund, the statistics likely also include a significant number of cross-border workers.
