Thousands more people set to lose unemployment benefits under new cap
More than 113,000 people will lose their entitlement to unemployment benefits next year under the new two-year cap, many more than the 100,000 people initially estimated, De Morgen reports.
The federal government has decided to limit unemployment benefits to a maximum of two years. The measure is due to come into force at the beginning of 2026.
Employment minister David Clarinval, of francophone liberal party MR, previously estimated that about 100,000 long-term unemployed people under 55 would lose their benefits as a result.
However, new figures from the National Employment Office, which allocates benefits, show that an estimated 113,000 people will be affected.
A further 2,000 people will lose protection benefits – a statute for people who have severe and long-term medical problems but have not been declared unable to work, which is also being phased out.
The new estimates also show that more than 33,000 over-50s are at risk of losing their benefits. As it is harder for this group to find work due to their age, the government provides an exception for over-55s who have worked for more than 30 working years.
The reforms will be felt mainly in Wallonia and Brussels, where unemployment is highest. 52 per cent of the long-term unemployed who will lose their benefits come from Wallonia, 26 per cent from Brussels.
© BELGIAN FREELANCE
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