Changes in Daily Life: April Updates on Salaries, Fuel Oil, and More

2024-04-03 08:07:59

Salary, “New deal”, fuel oil, social tariff… Here is everything that changes in your daily life from April 1st

New month, new rules and measures. Here is everything that will change in your daily life starting this Monday.

By the editorial team Published on 01/04/2024 at 06:00

The minimum wage exceeds 2,000 euros gross

The minimum wage has increased and exceeds 2,000 euros gross for the first time. According to the Christian union CSC, the salaries of some 80,000 workers will therefore increase.

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The increase was recorded during inter-professional negotiations for the 2021-2022 period. A first increase was recorded on April 1, 2022, of 76.28 euros. A second increase in the minimum wage has been active since April 1. It increases by 35.7 euros gross per month.

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With the automatic indexation of salaries, the minimum wage will have increased by around 400 euros net under this government, calculates the Minister of Economy and Labor Pierre-Yves Dermagne. We reached 2,030 euros of minimum wage in April, he specifies.

The amount will increase once more on April 1, 2026, still by 35.7 euros.

Nearly 135 general practitioners adopt the “New Deal”

Since April 1, 2024, 134 general practitioners (122 in group practice and 12 in solo practice) have been working according to a new organizational and financing model called New Deal. The Inami insurance committee approved their applications.

Under the New Deal, GPs now receive proportionately less pay for consultations, but earn more income from fixed funding per patient and bonuses for hiring nurses.

This new organizational and financial model allows general practitioners to “rediscover their primary vocation: to devote time and care to their patients”, according to the Federal Minister of Health, Frank Vandenbroucke.

Classic 50S fuel oil disappears from the market

Until yesterday, consumers might choose from different types of fuel oil to heat their homes, including 50S heating oil (conventional fuel oil) and diesel fuel oil (extra fuel oil).

But, since April 1, 50S can no longer be marketed due to a sulfur content of 50 ppm (parts per million) or 0.005%. Only 10S fuel oil can still be sold, a heating oil containing a maximum of 0.001% sulfur. Fuel with as little sulfur as possible is better for the environment.

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The consumer should not notice this change because many traders have already adapted. Less rich in sulfur, the new fuel oil is more expensive. The price difference between the two products is around 36 euros for an order of 2,000 liters.

A “Return to Work” fund for people laid off due to medical force majeure

Any person recognized as incapacitated for work, whose contract has been terminated by the employer due to medical force majeure, can now appeal to the “Return to work” fund set up by the National Institute of Sickness and Disability Insurance (Inami) since April 1st. The aim is to offer these workers the opportunity to move towards a new role following being made redundant.

Employers who terminate a worker’s contract due to medical force majeure must now pay 1,800 euros to the fund

Employers who terminate a worker’s contract due to medical force majeure must now pay 1,800 euros to the Return to Work fund. Workers made redundant due to their state of health can then call on this fund to benefit from personalized career support. The objective of this support is to give them new prospects for returning to the job market, within their possibilities.

To benefit from this support, the workers concerned must submit a request to Inami. If their application is approved, they receive a voucher worth up to 1,800 euros, which they can use with an approved service provider. Service providers who wish to offer services within the framework of the Return to Work Fund can also submit their application to Inami with a view to obtaining this aggregation. From April 1, 2025, people who have been unable to work for more than a year will be able to draw on the fund.

Belgium has some 500,000 long-term patients. This is the largest group of working-age people who are not working.

Gas/Electricity: the social tariff falling

A few days ago, Creg communicated the new social tariffs for electricity and gas which therefore came into force on April 1, for a period of three months. As indicated by the federal regulator, these prices fall on average by 22.7% for electricity and 19.3% for natural gas. Very good news, therefore, for the beneficiaries of this rate.

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The price of energy has been falling sharply in recent months, which has resulted in increasingly lower commercial rates. To the point that one of these rates had become more attractive than the social rate. But this was an exception. There is always a delay, both downward and upward, between price fluctuations on the markets and the establishment of the social tariff, which is based on these commercial tariffs. The social tariff is reviewed every quarter and is established by Creg. The prices which therefore came into force on April 1st are valid until June 30th. They are the same throughout the country.

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