{
    "title": "Wallonia\u2019s long-term sickness rates rising far faster than Flanders, says De Tijd",
    "modified_at": "2026-05-13 07:18:59",
    "published_at": "2026-05-13 07:19:00",
    "url": "https://www.belganewsagency.eu/wallonias-long-term-sickness-rates-rising-far-faster-than-flanders-says-de-tijd",
    "short_url": "http://prez.ly/4CGd",
    "culture": "en_BE",
    "language": "EN",
    "slug": "wallonias-long-term-sickness-rates-rising-far-faster-than-flanders-says-de-tijd",
    "body": "<p><strong>Wallonia is seeing a much faster rise in long-term sickness than Flanders, as reported by Belgian newspaper </strong><em><strong>De Tijd</strong></em><strong>. New figures show that nearly 10 per cent of working-age people in French-speaking Belgium were receiving invalidity benefits in 2023, compared with 7.3 per cent in Flanders.</strong></p><p>The biggest increases were recorded in the provinces of Hainaut and Li&Atilde;&uml;ge. In Hainaut, almost 12 per cent of working-age residents were classed as long-term sick. In some poorer towns, including Colfontaine, Quaregnon and Dour, the figure has reached 15 per cent or more.</p><p>The data, analysed by <em>De Tijd</em> from Belgium&rsquo;s Intermutualistic Agency (IMA), suggests the gap between north and south has widened steadily over the past 20 years. Across Belgium as a whole, the share of working-age people receiving invalidity payments has risen from 3.7 per cent in 2005 to 8.1 per cent today.</p><p>Pedro Facon, head of Belgium&rsquo;s National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (RIZIV), recently told parliament there are major regional differences in how long-term sickness cases are assessed. He said there are signs that some medical advisers may take local economic conditions into account when deciding whether someone is fit for work.</p><p>Experts say several factors may explain the divide, including unemployment, poverty and weaker job markets in parts of Wallonia and Brussels. Research has also shown a strong link between long-term sickness and socio-economic vulnerability.</p><p>According to figures from KU Leuven&rsquo;s Steunpunt Werk, people entering invalidity in Wallonia are more often unemployed or economically inactive before becoming long-term sick, while in Flanders they are more likely to have been in work beforehand.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><sup>#FlandersNewsService | &copy; BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK</sup></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>",
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    "author": {
        "first_name": "Flanders",
        "last_name": "News Service"
    },
    "format_version": 5
}