A draft law approved on Friday by the Council of Ministers limits the accumulation of social benefits, particularly social assistance, within the same household.
The bill was presented by the Minister for Social Integration, Anneleen Van Bossuyt, and the Minister for Social Affairs and the Fight against Poverty, Frank Vandenbroucke.
Currently, social assistance for cohabiting adults can be accumulated without restriction. Some families with several adults living under the same roof therefore receive higher social benefits.
"We have found that this sometimes results in very high amounts, which is completely contrary to the purpose of social assistance," Ms Van Bossuyt commented on leaving 16 Rue de la Loi. She mentioned amounts such as €5,000 to €6,000.
"Social assistance aims to support people in need," she added. "The system must also remain affordable and fair. We are closing the gaps, because it is unacceptable for unemployed people to be better off financially than those who struggle every day to find a job."
The bill stipulates that, in order to determine the minimum income, public social welfare centres (CPAS) will now have to take into account not only the resources of cohabitants, but also those of parents, grandparents, adult children, grandchildren, stepchildren and step-parents.
"When adults live together, they also share expenses. It is therefore logical that their incomes should be included in the calculation of the minimum income," the minister noted.
