Background information

Given the expected increase in the number of Ukranian refugees and the fact that a lot of the responsibility of supporting and housing them lies at the local/municipal level, the organisations that represent the interests of municipalities (VVSG for Flanders, UCVW for Wallonia and Brulocalis for Brussels), demanded additional support from the federal level.

Content of measure

Each local social service provider will receive an increased reimbursement for all Ukrainians refugees within their region. Instead of the usual 100%, the equivalent 'living wage' (the social allowance attributed to people for them to have a minimum income, NL: leefloon) will be refunded at 135% during the first four months. After four months, the repayment will drop to 125% for the entire period that the person concerned receives the equivalent living wage as temporary protection.

Thanks to the increased reimbursement rate, social services have extra resources for additional administrative costs, personnel costs and other needs. Social assistance can take many forms: material assistance, psychological assistance, financial assistance, and so on. This assistance is adapted to the real needs of each Ukrainian applicant. This is done on the basis of a social survey carried out by the social services in question.

Use of measure

Not available.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Does not apply to businesses	Migrants or refugees

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Local / regional government	National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Unknown	Unknown
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Unknown
• Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

There is no information available on any involvement of the social partners. Given the nature of the of the subject matter, it is unlikely that they had any actual involvement in it.

Views and reactions

No public statement given by social partners.

Sources

• 01 March 2022: Recht op OCMW steun en andere sociale rechten (www.vvsg.be)