1. Legal retirement age rises to 66, pension bonus starts
The statutory retirement age will rise from 65 to 66 on January 1, a measure that was decided ten years ago. The next step will follow in 2030: the statutory retirement age will then rise to 67. To determine a person’s statutory retirement age, the date of birth is taken into account. If you were born before 1960, that is 65 years. For those born between January 1, 1960 and December 31, 1963, this is 66 years. For those born in 1964 or later, the retirement age is 67.
To encourage people to stay at work longer, the pension bonus will also come into effect on January 1. An employee, self-employed person or civil servant who continues to work after the earliest date on which he or she can retire can build up a pension bonus for three years.
The pension bonus is a net amount, exempt from personal tax and social security contributions. The amount depends on the number of career years on the earliest retirement date. The bonus is built up progressively: 3,928 euros for the first year, 7,855 euros for the second year and 11,783 euros for the third year for those who work full-time and opt for a one-off payment. For careers of 43 years or more, this is always the highest amount (11,783 euros).
2. Half a million Belgians will see a significant increase in wages
Half a million white-collar workers will see their wages increase by 3.58 percent from January, as a result of the automatic indexation of Belgian wages. This concerns the employees from the joint committee 200, which consists of a diverse group of sectors, ranging from call centers and publishers to the graphic industry. More than 523,000 employees work in all those companies.
3. Electricity and gas network rates are more expensive
A Flemish family with an average electricity consumption will have to pay more for electricity in 2025. The network rates will increase by a third, or 120 euros extra per year. The network rates for natural gas are also increasing, by 6 percent or 15 euros extra per year.
In concrete terms, a family with an electricity consumption of 3,500 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year and an average monthly peak of 4.26 kilowatts will pay an average of 483 euros in grid rates in 2025. For a natural gas consumption of 17,000 kWh per year, the grid rates are 260 euros.
The distribution network rates are the rates for bringing electricity and natural gas to the front door. They cover the costs that grid operator Fluvius incurs for the construction and maintenance of the distribution networks. They also cover the transmission costs that Fluvius pays to high-voltage grid operator Elia.
4. Service vouchers are becoming more expensive
The price of service vouchers increases from 9 to 10 euros. “The euro goes entirely to better wages and working conditions for domestic helpers,” says the Flemish government.
The service voucher system is particularly popular in Flanders. About 750,000 Flemish people use it, and 127,000 employees are active in the sector.
When it took office, the Flemish government decided to increase the price of the service voucher by 1 euro (from 9 to 10 euros for the first 400 service vouchers purchased and from 10 to 11 euros afterwards) and to also increase the tax deduction (from 1.80 euros). by cheque).
5. Reduced registration fees in Flanders and Wallonia
© Jimmy Kets
For the sole and private home, registration fees in Flanders will be reduced from 3 to 2 percent. Until the end of 2024, there was also a preferential rate of 1 percent for those who buy a home to undergo major energy renovation or demolition and (partial) reconstruction within five years. That rate will also be 2 percent from January 1.
In Wallonia, from January 1, you will pay 3 percent registration fees instead of 12.5 percent for a sole private home. This sharp decline is one of the showpieces of the new Walloon government. At the same time, the various existing regimes will disappear, such as a reduction in registration fees for the first home, housing vouchers and the reduced rate for a modest home.
6. Lower Flemish construction premium and higher EPC label premium
The Flemish government is reducing the ‘My renovation premium’. Families in the lowest income category will today receive 50 percent of the invoice amount back, from January this will be 35 percent. Today, families with an average income will receive 35 percent of the total amount back, which will be 25 percent.
The renovation premium applies to roof, floor and wall insulation work, new windows and doors, electricity or plumbing. The reduction easily saves 1,500 euros on a maximum invoice of 11,000 euros. Nothing will change for the highest income earners, who are entitled to a fixed contribution of 16 euros per square meter of insulation or high-efficiency glazing.
In addition, those who renovate their home energetically will also receive a higher EPC label premium from January 6. This premium is intended for real estate with a poor EPC label. If they are thoroughly renovated within five years, the owner is eligible for the premium. From next year, that premium amount will be income-related. Until 2024 you could receive a maximum of 5,000 euros. From 2025, the highest premium amount will be 7,000 euros.
7. No more delay in installing a digital meter for solar panel owners
From January 1, 2025, owners of solar panels installed before 2021 are required to have a digital meter installed. Grid operator Fluvius will contact all customers with solar panels to switch to the digital meter.
It is also the last year in which you can apply for a retroactive investment premium after the installation of a digital meter. This is possible for installations that were commissioned between 2014 and 2020.
8. Natural gas connections no longer permitted in new construction projects
© Marc Herremans/mediahuis
From January 1, 2025, a natural gas connection is no longer permitted in permit applications for new-build homes. An oil boiler has not been allowed in new construction since 2022. Natural gas connections were already prohibited in larger projects. The Flemish government wants to stimulate the use of heat pumps with this measure.
In existing homes, a new gas boiler may still be installed or a gas connection can still be requested. In the latter case, a limited amount of 250 euros no longer applies, but “the actual, higher connection costs”, says the Flemish Energy and Climate Agency. For a so-called major energy renovation, you must at least install a hybrid heat pump.
9. The tax authorities punish fossil company cars extra
Since July 2023, new tax rules apply to company cars with petrol or diesel engines. As a result, the tax deductibility of such cars that have been purchased, leased or rented since then will begin to decrease from January 1, 2025.
From 2025, deductibility will be limited to 75 percent of the costs. In subsequent years, this will be reduced by another 25 percentage points, ending at 0 percent in 2028. For company cars with a combustion engine that are purchased, leased or rented from January 1, 2026, companies can immediately no longer deduct any costs at all.
The costs of company cars that run fully electric or on hydrogen will remain fully deductible for the time being. For such vehicles registered from 2027 onwards, the deductibility drops to 95 percent, before decreasing further in subsequent years.
At the same time, the solidarity contribution that employers pay to the RSZ on company cars with a combustion engine that can also be used for private purposes is increasing significantly. The contribution is calculated based on CO₂ emissions and multiplied by 2.25 since July 2023. This factor will increase to 2.75 from January 1, 2025 and will increase even faster in the coming years. A minimum amount applies to electric and hydrogen cars.
Finally, the tax charged by the tax authorities to employees on the private use of fossil company cars – the taxable benefit in kind – will also increase again from 2025. To calculate this tax, the tax authorities take CO₂ emissions into account, while the reference emissions decrease as a result of the greening of newly registered cars. The greater the difference, the greater the amount that is taxed. The age of the car is also taken into account, as a result of this correction the tax increase remains limited according to the tax authorities.
10. More effective cervical cancer screening via HPV test
© Annemiek Mommers/anp
From now on, women between the ages of 30 and 64 will be invited for cervical cancer screening every five years. This examination will be done using an HPV test, which is performed on a smear and is more effective than the current three-yearly cell examination.
Until now, in Belgium, three-yearly screening in the form of a so-called cytological examination was reimbursed for all women aged 25 and over. From January 1, this will be replaced for women aged 30 and over by a more effective HPV test, which only needs to be carried out every five years. For women between 25 and 30 years of age, screening via cytological examination remains in force.
The human papillomavirus (HPV) is the leading cause of cervical cancer, which affects many women worldwide. The new test will be carried out in a laboratory on a cervical smear, which can be taken by either a GP or a gynaecologist.
The federal government is responsible for financing the tests.
11. Physiotherapists determine rates themselves, midwives also deconvention
© getty
Physiotherapists are withdrawing from the rate agreement. This means that they are free to determine their own rates. Many midwives and doctors also no longer adhere to price agreements. At the end of November, the professional organization Axxon returned to the agreements committee that had been concluded for 2024 and 2025. According to the physiotherapists, the government has not fulfilled various commitments. This included adjustments to costs (fees, co-payments and travel costs), digitalization and transparency of the Riziv.
The members of the Flemish Professional Organization of Midwives (VBOV) also decided to leave the convention in November. As a result, midwives can choose from January to no longer adhere to the price agreements. The professional organization speaks of a “deconvention wave”, but emphasizes that it is an individual choice.
