The number of workers unable to work due to long-term illness for more than a year climbed to a whoppinh 576,643 in Belgium last year, according to figures from the National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (INAMI/RIZIV).
Belgium now counts around 105,000 more long-term sick people than it did five years ago, when the figure stood at roughly 471,000.
The steep rise is largest ever recorded, though much of the increase is linked to the country's decision to raise the legal retirement age from 65 to 66 at the start of 2025.
Before pension reform, most people over 65 would have moved onto a state pension rather than remaining on sickness benefits. As a result, the number of long-term sick people aged over 65 surged from fewer than 1,600 in 2024 to 19,298 by the end of 2025.
Overall, the number of long-term sick workers rose by 1.6% compared with the previous year, below the average annual increase of 3% recorded since 2005.
Among people under 65, the increase was the smallest seen since 2008.
Workers aged between 50 and 64 still account for roughly two-thirds of all long-term illness cases in Belgium. However, in recent years, growth has been faster among younger people, particularly those under 35.
Mental health conditions, including burnout and depression, remain the leading causes of long-term absence from work.
