Nearly a third of people in Flanders who lost their unemployment benefit on 1 July have applied for social assistance, according to a survey by the Association of Flemish Cities and Municipalities, VVSG.
The figures, published on Friday, are based on responses from 62 public centres for social welfare across Flanders.
Because unemployment benefits are now limited in time, a fourth group of claimants lost their entitlement from 1 July. This group consists of people who had been unemployed for more than 12 months but no longer than 24 months.
In Flanders, that group could include up to 11,732 people. So far, 31% have applied for a living wage.
A so-called fifth wave has also now begun, covering all others who will lose their unemployment benefit between 1 July 2026 and 1 July 2027. Among them, 23% have applied for social assistance.
The share of applications from the third wave, made up of jobseekers who lost benefit their entitlement from 1 April, has remained stable at 50%.
The association again warned of growing pressure on welfare services. It said that in some centres, the total number of cases being handled, not only living-wage files, is already higher than the total recorded in 2025.
According to the VVSG, one reason is the limited flow of people from the earliest waves into work. It said many in that group are still far removed from the labour market because they previously had an unlimited right to unemployment benefits.
“As a result, there is still no real movement into the labour market,” the association said.
The VVSG also said the caseload was being increased by a “revolving-door effect” involving clients whom welfare centres had previously helped into work.
Those people built up unemployment benefit entitlements and could then be guided towards jobs by the Flemish employment service VDAB. However, if they failed to find work, the time limit on unemployment benefits meant they eventually returned to the welfare centre.
