By the end of 2025, nearly 250,000 Belgians were behind on repaying at least one private loan, according to data from the National Bank of Belgium cited by L’Echo and De Tijd.
Last year, new payment defaults on private loans affected approximately 110,000 people, up from around 94,500 in the previous year. This 16% increase marks the sharpest annual rise since 2021.
The issue is most prominent in consumer loans, with 242,744 Belgians already having at least one overdue private debt by the end of 2025. These include both fixed monthly repayments and credit card-related expenses.
Part of the surge is attributed to changes introduced in 2024, requiring financial institutions to record a wider range of loans and arrears.
The total outstanding debt from consumer loans now stands at nearly €1.6 billion.
Interestingly, the number of people with active consumer loans has been declining since 2021. This suggests that a smaller group of borrowers is struggling more frequently with repayments.
Furthermore, the latest annual report from the Federal Public Service Finance shows the number of repayment plans for tax debts has more than doubled in recent years, highlighting a broader trend of increasing indebtedness.
