Van Bossuyt steps up crackdown on welfare fraud: Public welfare centres to verify foreign property and related income

The federal government is taking another step in the fight against welfare fraud. At the initiative of Minister for Social Integration Anneleen Van Bossuyt, the Council of Ministers has approved a measure allowing Belgium’s Public Centres for Social Welfare (CPAS/OCMWs) to call on specialised investigation firms when there are indications that a recipient of the living wage has committed social welfare fraud.

“In practice, this means verifying undeclared real estate abroad—such as a house or a plot of land—as well as any income generated from those properties,” Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt explained.

Difficult to verify

Today, existing databases make it relatively easy to check whether an applicant for the living wage owns property or receives rental income in Belgium. Verifying property located abroad—or income derived from it—is far more difficult.

As a result, people who own a house, apartment or land abroad, or who receive rental income from foreign property, are currently much harder to monitor. The new measure is designed to close that loophole.

“Social welfare fraud undermines public support for our social assistance system. People are willing to show solidarity when they know support goes to those who genuinely need it. That is why we are giving public welfare centres stronger tools to detect fraud whenever there are serious indications that abuse may be taking place,” said Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt.

Social investigations remain the responsibility of the public welfare centre

Specialised investigation firms will only be allowed to gather targeted information, for example by consulting local registries, land registers or official certificates. The social worker will assess the information, while the final decision will remain with the public welfare centre.

“These are targeted checks carried out only when there are concrete indications of fraud, conflicting statements or when an applicant fails to provide reliable documentation. If there are signs that someone is concealing property or the income it generates, public welfare centres must be able to verify that,” Van Bossuyt said.

“A cornerstone of social policy”

The Public Centre for Social Welfare of Antwerp helped develop the new framework and will be the first in Belgium to use the new instrument. The city already has experience tracing foreign property in cases involving social housing and sees the measure as a logical extension of its existing approach.

Alderman for Social Affairs Nathalie Van Baren described the measure as a significant strengthening of social policy. “In a multicultural city like Antwerp, where many residents have ties abroad, these checks are essential to ensure that our social support system remains fair. We have been advocating for this for years and have earmarked an annual budget of €300,000 for this purpose. We are pleased that the federal government is now giving this approach a clear legal basis.”

The measure will be accompanied by strict safeguards on privacy, professional confidentiality and data protection. Individuals concerned will also retain the right to be heard and to appeal any decision.