Some 62% of Belgians say they have lost money since the start of the health crisis, with an average loss of €1,621 per household, according to a poll by Test Achats reported by La Libre on Friday.
The primary factor remains salaries. Over a third of households said they experienced a loss of net salary amounting to an average of €1,571 net household income.
Travel cancellations also accounted for a large part of the loss. A quarter of households were unable to obtain refunds for cancelled trips, losing an average €722 per household. Losses linked to the cancellation of cultural events amounted to an average of €273 per household.
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These figures, taken from a survey carried out on 14 and 15 May, show a sharp increase of losses compared to March.
Additionally, almost 27% of those surveyed who had savings have had to draw on them, and 22% believe they will have to do so.
As regards longer-term prospects on the labour market, one in five believe they are likely to lose their job in the next 12 months, while 47% expect fewer career opportunities.
The Brussels Times