Inability to make ends meet in Belgium

Belgium: Inability to make ends meet was 6.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)
6.1%
Change on year
down 10.3%
World rank
18th
of 47 countries
All-time high
9.3%
in 2016
All-time low
5.6%
in 2007
Years of data
23
2003–2025

Inability to make ends meet in Belgium, 2003–2025

02468102003201420252003: 6.6 Percentage2004: 7 Percentage2005: 6 Percentage2006: 5.7 Percentage2007: 5.6 Percentage2008: 7.5 Percentage2009: 8.3 Percentage2010: 7.7 Percentage2011: 8.8 Percentage2012: 8.3 Percentage2013: 8.8 Percentage2014: 7.9 Percentage2015: 8.6 Percentage2016: 9.3 Percentage2017: 8.6 Percentage2018: 8.1 Percentage2019: 8.8 Percentage2020: 7.9 Percentage2021: 6.6 Percentage2022: 7 Percentage2023: 6.1 Percentage2024: 6.8 Percentage2025: 6.1 Percentage

Source: Eurostat. Measured in Percentage.

Analysis

The most recent figure for inability to make ends meet in Belgium is 6.1%, measured in 2025.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 10.3% on the previous year and down 29.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, inability to make ends meet in Belgium peaked at 9.3% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 5.6%, in 2007.

That places Belgium 18th out of 47 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.

Inability to make ends meet in Belgium, year by year

Annual values for Inability to make ends meet in Belgium, 2003 to 2025.
Year Percentage Change
2003 6.6% —
2004 7.0% +6.1%
2005 6.0% -14.3%
2006 5.7% -5.0%
2007 5.6% -1.8%
2008 7.5% +33.9%
2009 8.3% +10.7%
2010 7.7% -7.2%
2011 8.8% +14.3%
2012 8.3% -5.7%
2013 8.8% +6.0%
2014 7.9% -10.2%
2015 8.6% +8.9%
2016 9.3% +8.1%
2017 8.6% -7.5%
2018 8.1% -5.8%
2019 8.8% +8.6%
2020 7.9% -10.2%
2021 6.6% -16.5%
2022 7.0% +6.1%
2023 6.1% -12.9%
2024 6.8% +11.5%
2025 6.1% -10.3%

Belgium compared with similar countries

  • Belgium's 6.1% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 4.8%, 1.3× the median. (34 countries reporting)
  • Belgium's 6.1% is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.2%, 1.5× the median. (31 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 6.7% 5.6% 8.3% 7
2010s 8.5% 7.7% 9.3% 10
2020s 6.8% 6.1% 7.9% 6

Countries ranked near Belgium

  1. 15 Euro area (EA11-1999, EA12-2001, EA13-2007, EA15-2008, EA16-2009, EA17-2011, EA18-2014, EA19-2015, EA20-2023, EA21-2026) 7.2% compare
  2. 16 European Union (EU6-1958, EU9-1973, EU10-1981, EU12-1986, EU15-1995, EU25-2004, EU27-2007, EU28-2013, EU27-2020) 6.4% compare
  3. 17 Ireland 6.2% compare
  4. 19 United Kingdom 5.2% compare
  5. 19 United Kingdom 5.2% compare
  6. 21 Cyprus 4.9% compare

See the full ranking of 53 places →

More reference data data for Belgium

All data for Belgium →

Frequently asked questions

What is inability to make ends meet in Belgium?
Inability to make ends meet in Belgium was 6.1% in 2025, according to Eurostat.
What is the highest inability to make ends meet recorded in Belgium?
The highest recorded value was 9.3% in 2016.
What is the lowest inability to make ends meet recorded in Belgium?
The lowest recorded value was 5.6% in 2007.
How does Belgium rank for inability to make ends meet?
Belgium ranks 18th out of 47 countries with data for 2025.
Is inability to make ends meet rising or falling in Belgium?
Over the last ten years it is down 29.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Belgium data come from?
The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Inability to make ends meet. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Inability to make ends meet in Belgium. Statizoid, drawing on Eurostat. Retrieved 24 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/inability-to-make-ends-meet/belgium/

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About this data

Indicator
Inability to make ends meet
Unit
Percentage
Source
Eurostat
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat)
Coverage
53 places, 998 data points, 2003–2025
Last refreshed