Care mandates double in Belgium over five years

Nearly 140,000 care mandates were registered in Belgium last year, twice as many as in 2021, according to the notaries’ federation Fednot.

A care mandate allows a person to appoint one or more trusted people to manage their finances if they are no longer able to do so themselves. This can include handling bank accounts, paying bills or collecting pensions. On average, drawing up and registering a mandate costs between €600 and €800.

According to notary Joni Soutaer, a care mandate is also useful for future care planning. People can state in advance which residential care home they would prefer to live in later, based on their wishes and budget. It can also be used to arrange a sale or a gift.

Most care mandates are created in Flanders. Of the 138,619 registered in 2025, 125,163 were in Flanders, compared with 9,452 in Wallonia and 4,004 in Brussels. The total is well above the previous record of 122,733 in 2024.

People in their seventies still make up the largest group, accounting for 55.7 per cent of new mandates in 2025, though this share has slightly decreased. Meanwhile, the proportion of people in their sixties has risen from 25.1 to 26.6 per cent.

A care mandate only takes effect after it is registered in the Central Register of Mandates. If no mandate exists and a person can no longer manage their affairs, a court can appoint a legal administrator to do so.

^{© BELGA PHOTO MAXIME ANCIAUX}