Belgian minimum income (CPAS/RIS) 2026 : your order of magnitude
Estimate an order of magnitude of the minimum income allowance (RIS) based on your situation. Free, sourced from the Federal Public Service for Social Integration.
Your means are limited and you're wondering whether applying to the CPAS is worth it? This tool gives you an order of magnitude, the official process remains free and commits you to nothing.
Your situation
Do NOT include here: family allowances for your children, CPAS assistance, or the RIS itself, these amounts never count in the official calculation.
Alimony received for your children does not need to be included here (always exempt).
Enter your situation to estimate your monthly RIS.
A single federal scale, identical throughout Belgium
Unlike other regionalised schemes, the minimum income allowance (RIS) is set by federal law and its amount is identical regardless of which CPAS you approach. The base amount varies by category (cohabitant, single, person with dependent family), then your own resources reduce it.
Two exemptions protecting your first income
If you work, a socio-professional exemption of €315.67/month protects your first income, followed by a more modest general flat-rate exemption, only the surplus reduces your RIS.
What this calculator does not do
It does not calculate cases of cohabitation with an adult alimony debtor (new rule since March 2026), nor the impact of savings above €6,200, two frequent cases that require your CPAS's precise review. It never replaces this official review.
Frequently asked questions
Is this amount guaranteed?
No. This is an order of magnitude to help you know whether applying to the CPAS is worth it. The CPAS examines your actual situation in detail before any decision, the process is free and commits you to nothing.
Why is my calculation replaced by a message if I check the cohabitation box?
Since 1 March 2026, the CPAS must take into account the resources of any adult alimony debtor living under the same roof (grandparent, grandchild, parent-in-law, child-in-law, ex-spouse), with a flat-rate presumption of €240 in family allowances unless proven otherwise. This mechanism depends on another person's income that we cannot know, we never guess this calculation, but this does not mean you are not entitled to the RIS.
Why does savings above €6,200 also trigger a switch in the calculation?
Beyond this threshold, the CPAS applies an additional-resources calculation on your capital whose exact mechanism is not publicly documented in detail. Rather than estimate approximately, we invite you to contact your CPAS for this case.
What is the socio-professional exemption?
When you start working (or a professional training programme, a student PIIS contract), the first €315.67/month of income is never deducted from your RIS. A more modest general flat-rate exemption then applies, varying by category.
Why doesn't some family allowance count?
Family allowances received for children you are raising are fully exempt. Only allowances received directly in the name of an adult young person are counted, the same applies to alimony: that for children is exempt, that received for yourself is counted.
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