Social assistance for water 2023

The social assistance for water is financed by the Brussels Region. This aid is granted once a year and for a whole year.

2 conditions to obtain the social assistance for water

The social assistance is intended for households

domiciled in the Brussels-Capital Region on 1 January of the current year
in which one member has BIM status with his or her mutual insurance company (‘Beneficiary of the Increased Intervention’ INAMI) on 1 January of the current year.

If you have obtained BIM status in the course of the year, the social assistance will be granted from the following year onwards. However, you must still have BIM status as of 1 January of this new year.

A variable amount

The social assistance consists of

a fixed amount of €5 per household
a variable amount of €50 per person in the household

How to obtain this assistance in 2023

Your household is entitled to this assistance, and VIVAQUA already has your bank account number?

In that case, VIVAQUA will send you a letter asking you to check this number.

If this number is correct, you do not have to do anything.
If this number is not correct, you must inform us of the new number before 30 September 2023, preferably by filling in this form:

Form

Your household is entitled to this assistance and VIVAQUA does not have your bank account number?

In that case, VIVAQUA will send you a letter asking for 2 pieces of information:

your national registration number
the bank account number, into which the money will be paid. VIVAQUA must receive this information before 31 December 2023. It should preferably be sent by completing this form:

Form

Do you need to provide additional information?

Have you been in contact with our call center and have you been asked to send additional information? Upload the requested documents.

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Do you still have questions?

The social assistance in images

FAQ – Frequent asked questions about the social assistance

- a) Your household is entitled to this assistance, and VIVAQUA already has your bank account number: in that case you will receive a letter from VIVAQUA asking you to check this number.
  If this number is correct, you do not have to do anything
  If this number is not correct, you must inform us of the new number before 30 September 2023, preferably by filling in the online form or by returning the reply slip enclosed with this letter
b) Your household is entitled to this assistance and VIVAQUA does not have your bank account number. In that case you will receive a letter from VIVAQUA asking you for 2 pieces of information:
- your national registration number
- your bank account number, into which the money will be paid
VIVAQUA must receive this information before 31 December 2023. It should preferably be sent by completing this form or via the reply slip enclosed with the letter.
Social assistance for water is an amount allocated to vulnerable people and households in Brussels to help them pay their water bill.
The social assistance is financed by the Brussels Region.
Starting from 2022, it is granted once a year and for a whole year.
BIM status (Beneficiary of the Increased Intervention) is granted by your mutual insurance company. Please contact them if you have any questions.
Beneficiaries of this BIM status receive higher reimbursements for medical care as well as other benefits such as access to social rates.
The social assistance for water is granted to households domiciled in the Brussels-Capital Region in which at least one member has BIM status with his or her mutual insurance company (‘Beneficiary of the Increased Intervention’ INAMI) on 1 January of the current year.

For people who obtain BIM status in the course of the year, the social assistance will be granted from the following year onwards, provided that they still have BIM status on 1 January of that year.

FAQ – Frequent asked questions about the letter

Beneficiaries of the social assistance for water must live in the Brussels Region and have BIM status on 1 January of the current year. If you meet both conditions and have not received a letter, please contact VIVAQUA free of charge at 0800 62 168.
The social assistance is always granted to the reference person. People in joint custody situations must reach an agreement.
The social assistance for water is only granted to persons and households with BIM status who reside in the Brussels-Capital Region. If you meet these conditions, please contact VIVAQUA free of charge at 0800 62 168. You will be asked to provide a certificate from the municipality regarding your change of address. You will then receive the letter at the new address.
If you have lost your letter, please contact VIVAQUA free of charge at 0800 62 168.
VIVAQUA relies on the information in the National Register. The name of the reference person (‘head of household’) is listed in the National Register. VIVAQUA sends out letters based on the situation on 1 January of the current year. Changes in marital status after this date are not taken into account. If you have any questions, please contact VIVAQUA free of charge at 0800 62 168.
To obtain the social assistance for water, you must be domiciled in the Brussels-Capital Region on 1 January of the current year.

Therefore, you are not eligible for this assistance for 2023.

FAQ – Frequent asked questions about the amount of the social assistance

The amount is calculated on the basis of the number of persons listed in the National Register on 1 January of the year in question.

Please contact VIVAQUA free of charge at 0800 62 168.
No. In 2023, the social assistance for water will be paid into your bank account.
The social assistance consists of:
- €5/year/household
- €50/member of the household. The calculation is based on the number of persons listed in the National Register as of 1 January of the year in question.
These amounts are indexed each year.
- If VIVAQUA already has your bank account number: during the first fortnight of November 2023.
- If you have to send us your bank account number: approximately 10 weeks after VIVAQUA has received your information.

FAQ – Frequently asked questions about the data to be provided to obtain the social assistance

You can send the information
- by completing an online form
- by calling the toll-free number 0800 62 168
- by returning the reply slip enclosed with your letter. You have received a postage-paid envelope (no stamp needed!) to mail this reply slip. You can also deposit it in the mailbox at the VIVAQUA head office, boulevard de l’Impératrice 17-19, 1000 Brussels.
The amount of the social assistance can only be paid into a Belgian bank account. If you have a foreign account or if you do not have a bank account, you can provide the bank account number of a trusted person.

If you have any questions, please contact VIVAQUA free of charge at 0800 62 168.
Please contact VIVAQUA free of charge at 0800 62 168.