Do I have to declare property I own abroad when I receive social assistance from the OCMW / CPAS?
In short
Yes. When you apply for social assistance (leefloon / revenu d'intégration), you must declare all property and income, including abroad.
Video transcript
You are applying for social assistance. You own a house abroad. Required: When applying, all property, accounts and income are declared, including abroad. Changes must be reported at once. The right way: Write everything down openly. Declare the property to the Belgian tax office too. If you hide it: Assistance: Stopped; Received wrongly: Must be paid back; Also: Social fraud case.
What is not allowed, what is required?
- In your application, declare all your property, accounts and income in Belgium and abroad.
- If your situation changes while you are receiving assistance (an inheritance, a sale, new income), tell the OCMW / CPAS straight away.
- In 2025, the Antwerp OCMW announced that it would check property abroad. How far this power to investigate goes is disputed. But if undeclared property comes to light later, you will have to pay back the assistance.
- You must also declare the property to the Belgian tax authorities.
Penalty and indirect consequences
- Fine / payment
- You must repay any assistance you were not entitled to
Legal basis:Wet 26.5.2002 maatschappelijke integratie, art. 24 §1, 22 §1
- Court / prison
- You can be prosecuted for social fraud
Legal basis:Sociaal Strafwetboek, art. 233 §1-§2
What really matters: the indirect consequences
- Your assistance is stopped
Legal basis:Wet 26.5.2002 maatschappelijke integratie, art. 30 §1
- Repayment of any assistance you were not entitled to
Legal basis:Wet 26.5.2002 maatschappelijke integratie, art. 24 §1
- An extra tax fine for property not declared to the tax authorities
Legal basis:WIB 92, art. 445 §5 + KB 20.9.2023
Why does this rule exist?
Social assistance is the last safety net and is only for people who have no other means. Honest declarations make sure the money goes to those who really need it.
Where can you go?
- The organisation that pays your benefitPension: Federal Pension Service (FPD / SFP) · Unemployment: RVA / ONEM or your payment organisation (trade union / HVW-CAPAC) · Sickness: ziekenfonds / mutualité
- OCMW / CPASQuestions about social assistance and social housing
- Social interpreterAt the municipality, the OCMW/CPAS, school and hospital, you can ask for an interpreter in your language; it is often free.
This site does not handle individual cases; it points you to the right service. All help addresses
Source and reliability
Official source- Source check
- 8 / 8 statements in an official source
- Checked: 12.10.2026
- Last checked
- 12.10.2026
- Rules can change
Show the 8 checked statementsopen
- Found in an official source
Leefloon başvurusunda yurt dışındakiler dahil tüm mülk ve gelir beyan edilir
Kamer DOC 56 1515/001 (28.04.2026), KB 11.07.2002 art. 25 §3 ve art. 6 §2 alıntısı - Corrected according to the source
Bazı OCMW / CPAS'lar (ör. Antwerpen) yurt dışı mülk kontrolü duyurdu
Kamer DOC 56 1515/001 (28.04.2026), voorstel van resolutie – toelichting - Found in an official source
Mülk aynı zamanda Belçika Maliyesi'ne de beyan edilmelidir.
Wet 17.02.2021 art. 10 → WIB 92 art. 473 §2 - Found in an official source
Geriye dönük düzeltilen leefloon kararında haksız ödeme geri istenir
Wet 26.5.2002 maatschappelijke integratie, art. 24 §1, 22 §1 - Found in an official source
Haksız sosyal yardım için kasıtlı yanlış/eksik beyan cezalıdır
Sociaal Strafwetboek, art. 233 §1-§2 - Found in an official source
Kaynaklarını bilerek gizleyen veya yanlış beyan edenin leefloon'u 6 aya (hilede 12 aya) kadar kesilebilir
Wet 26.5.2002 maatschappelijke integratie, art. 30 §1 - Found in an official source
Geriye dönük düzeltilen leefloon kararında haksız ödeme geri istenir
Wet 26.5.2002 maatschappelijke integratie, art. 24 §1 - Found in an official source
Yurt dışı taşınmazı Maliye'ye bildirmemek 250–3.000 € idari para cezası doğurur
WIB 92, art. 445 §5 + KB 20.9.2023
The checked statements are in Turkish, as in the source text. This check does not replace legal advice.
General information, not legal advice. For your own situation, ask a lawyer or free legal aid. How was this information prepared?