Some 2,170 adults with disabilities in Wallonia are on a waiting list for accommodation or care services, according to the region's Minister for Solidarity, Yves Coppieters.
Speaking in a regional parliamentary commission on Thursday, Coppieters acknowledged the significant unmet needs in this sector. He was responding to questions from parliamentarians Sabine Roberty (PS) and Jamila Ammi (PTB).
Since 1997, the Walloon care and accommodation sector has operated under a moratorium on the number of available places. Despite this restriction, gradual increases in capacity have been achieved through exemptions tied to specific projects aimed at creating new places.
To address urgent cases, the minister announced an additional €5 million budget for 2026. This funding will support around 100 new places, assigned through the Priority Person Monitoring Committee.
Currently, the sector offers 9,161 approved and subsidised places, alongside 1,038 approved places within partially subsidised services, which are also available to Walloon users.
As of late October 2025, 1,558 specific emergency subsidies were in place, totalling over €80 million in funding.
While all existing places in the sector are occupied, Coppieters noted that turnover among individualised placements occasionally allows urgent cases to be addressed.
