Brussels poverty levels on the rise

About 27% of the Brussels population lives in poverty, according to newly published figures by the Brussels Institute for Statistics and Analysis (BISA/IBSA) - and the principal areas where people suffer poverty are expanding.

The capital’s statistics agency lists all figures on the economy, society and the environment in its annual socio-economic review.

They confirm what has been evident in the Brussels region for at least 20 years. While the south-east of the region - notably the Woluwes, Auderghem and Uccle - is relatively prosperous, the “poor crescent” around the city centre, especially the canal zone, parts of Schaerbeek and Saint-Josse, suffers persistent poverty.

The statisticians use the number of people who receive preferential health care (BIM status) as an indicator of poverty. Only Brussels residents with low incomes benefit from these substantially reduced payments. There are some 352,839 people in this category in the capital, 27.5% of the population, compared to 15.4% in Flanders and 20.6% in Wallonia.

The percentage is in line with results from a European survey that concluded that about 27% of Brussels households live below the property line, Bruzz reports.

And a Belgian Statistics Agency (Statbel) report showed that 37.5% of people living in the capital were at risk of poverty or social exclusion, compared to 12.9% in Flanders and 21.8% in Wallonia. In this study, the overall national result was 18.3%.

The BISA report highlights that in five districts, more than half the residents are poor, judged by the increased allowances given by the CPAS/OCMW. These are two areas in Cureghem, around the veterinary school (50%) and Parc de la Rosée (54%), the Marolles (53%), Molenbeek’s centre (56%) and the Gare de l’Ouest (57%).

BISA also notes how cutting unemployment benefits for people without work for two years will cause some 40,000 Brussels residents to lose their benefits and therefore apply to the CPAS/OCMW for aid.

The impact of this measure is greater on Brussels than on the two other regions in the country as the capital’s unemployment rate is 15% compared to only 6% in Flanders – and there are also many long-term unemployed people.

“The reform will have a downward effect on the social benefits of the people of Brussels,” BISA added.

“The new amounts for unemployment benefits from six months unemployed would be lower on average. In addition, the integration income that may be received by people no longer entitled to unemployment benefit would also be lower on average than the unemployment benefits under the old system.”

There are also huge differences in terms of living wages within the Brussels region, BISA found.

In predominantly wealthy Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, less than 1.3% of residents receive the “integration income” equivalent to what the CPAS/OCMW considers a living wage. This percentage rises to 10% in Saint-Josse and to 11.4% in Molenbeek.