Who is affected by the poverty line in Belgium?

A figure that has been falling since 2018 where 16.4% of the population knew a risk of poverty but in 2022, and in particular following the energy crisis, the trend is likely to be reversed.

Soon more Belgians below the poverty line?

Yes according to economist Bruno Colmant: “I believe that percentage will increase to 40%. It’s gigantic. We will have to put in place special measures such as limiting the price of electricity, giving direct aid to households, as we did during the COVID crisis.

An increase in the number of people concerned by this risk of poverty would also increase the risk of seeing other phenomena of social anger appear according to the economist: “There are going to be phenomena of unpaid bills, of families which will sink completely and we are already seeing families who advocate disobedience in terms of reimbursing energy bills, whose unpaid bills are accumulating with distributors and producers.“