Nearly one in five (18.3%) people in Belgium are at risk of poverty or social exclusion, according to Statbel figures based on a new survey ahead of World Day for the Eradication of Poverty on Friday.
This affects more than two million people. The poverty risk varies greatly depending on socioeconomic profile.
For example, 33.3% of people with low education are at risk of poverty or social exclusion, compared to 9.1% of those with a higher education degree.
The risk is also higher among the unemployed (68.5%) and the inactive (42.1%) than among workers (6.4%).
Single-parent families are also particularly vulnerable: 38.3% of them live in a situation of poverty or social exclusion.
Significant regional differences also appear. Residents of Brussels have the highest rate (37.3%), followed by citizens in Wallonia (21.8%) and Flanders (12.9%).
This poverty rate has been stable since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic: 19% in 2021, 18.6% in 2022, and 18.8% in 2023.
To measure the risk of poverty or social exclusion, three indicators are used by the Belgian statistical office. To be considered at risk of poverty or social exclusion, an individual must face at least one of these three situations.
First, monetary poverty. In 2024, 11.4% of Belgians had an income below the poverty line, set at €1,522 per month for a single person and €3,197 for two adults with two children.
Second, low work intensity. A household is considered to have low work intensity when working-age adults have used less than 20% of their "work potential" over a 12-month period. In 2024, 11.4% of the Belgian population was in this situation.
Finally, severe material and social deprivation affected 6.2% of the Belgian population in 2024. This means that those affected are forced to deprive themselves of at least seven of the 13 essential elements, such as paying bills on time, being able to go on vacation, replacing damaged furniture, or participating in leisure activities.
"Poverty is not simply a question of income," Statbel emphasised. "It also concerns access to stable employment offering sufficient financial resources to enable decent housing, health care and a dignified social life."
