Increased allowance
People with a low household income may be entitled to the increased allowance. They receive higher reimbursements for healthcare and benefit from additional financial advantages.
What is increased allowance?
People with a low income may be entitled to the increased allowance. Thanks to this reduced rate, costs for doctor’s visits, medicines and hospital stays become more affordable. You can also benefit from several additional social advantages.
In certain cases, you are automatically entitled to the increased allowance. In other cases, you must apply for it through your health insurance fund, after which your situation will be assessed.
When are you entitled to the increased allowance?
Whether you are entitled to the increased allowance depends on your household income.
The household consists of the applicant, their cohabiting partner, and the dependants (the persons registered in their health insurance file) of both.
Automatic entitlement
You are automatically entitled to the increased allowance if you receive a specific social benefit or if you are in one of the following situations:
*If you are in one of these situations, you must also meet all of the following additional conditions to be automatically entitled:
- You are single, with or without dependent children
- You do not own any real estate other than your own home
- Your income must not exceed the basic ceiling amount (see ‘Via an application’ – option 1)
Via an application
Option 1: Is your taxable gross annual household income for 2025 lower than 28,054.93 euros (+ 5,193.74 euros per additional person in your household)? Then you can submit an application.
Option 2: Is your current gross annual household income lower than 28,662.69 euros (+ 5,306.25 euros per additional person in your household) and are you in one of the following situations:
In these cases, you can also submit an application.
*This amount may be indexed during 2026.
Helan supports you
To serve our customers as effectively as possible, we assess each year who may be entitled to the increased allowance through a ‘proactive process’:
- Income screening: when your household income is known to the FPS Finance and is below the threshold amount, we send you a letter to further examine your entitlement to the increased allowance.
- Status‑based screening: when you are in a situation that may entitle you to the increased allowance, we send you a letter to further assess your entitlement.
How do you submit an application?
Below we describe how to submit an application for increased reimbursement. Do you need help with your application? Our staff will be happy to assist you. Make an appointment for an advisory meeting.
You can check your household income via this simulation tool.
Is your household income below the threshold amount? Then you can submit an application.
- You can do this most quickly online via My Helan.
- Or contact us to start your application, preferably via our contact form. Choose the option ‘Health insurance and insurance’. Refine your choice with “my health insurance file” and tick “my increased reimbursement and maximum invoice”. There you can indicate that you want to apply for increased reimbursement.
We will review your file as soon as possible and let you know which supporting documents you need to provide to complete your application.
An incomplete application expires after two months. Therefore, send us all documents as soon as possible after starting your application.
- Digitally: Scan all documents (the sworn statement and supporting documents) and upload them via My Helan.
- By post: Send a copy of all documents to Helan Onafhankelijk ziekenfonds, Boomsesteenweg 5 in 2610 Wilrijk. Or drop them in a Helan mailbox in your neighbourhood. Keep the original documents for yourself.
Once we have received all documents, we will carry out an income check according to the legally established rules.
If your income is below the legally established threshold, the increased reimbursement will be granted.
We will send you a letter with the decision in any case. If the decision is positive, you can download a certificate of your new status via My Helan.
Benefits of the increased allowance
Those who are entitled to the increased allowance enjoy a number of benefits.
- Higher reimbursement of medical costs: You pay less out‑of‑pocket for certain prescription medicines, for a visit to the doctor, dentist, physiotherapist or another healthcare provider, and for a hospital stay.
- You pay a lower rate for hospitalisation accommodation costs.
- If you have a global medical record, you pay 1 euro for a consultation with your GP.
- Your health insurance fund pays the GP directly because the third‑party payment scheme is applied.
- Lower annual ceiling for the medical costs you pay each year thanks to the maximum invoice.
- Helan Care Fund: reduced contribution for the Flemish social protection.
- Public transport: discounted rates for train and bus. NMBS, De Lijn, TEC, MIVB.
- Social heating fund: heating allowance from the Public Social Welfare Centre (OCMW).
- Discount voucher: for the purchase of an energy‑efficient washing machine, refrigerator, freezer or dryer.
- Energy savings:
- Free energy scan by Energiesnoeiers
- Mijn Verbouwlening: interest‑free loan to carry out energy‑saving improvements in your home.
- Telephone: social telephone tariff for people aged 65+ and those with at least 66% disability.
- Regional:
- Benefits granted by some municipalities, such as free rubbish bags or reduced waste‑collection tax.
- Discounts on provincial and municipal taxes.
- You may also be entitled to additional benefits in your neighbourhood. You can check them via My Benefits.
For more information about these social benefits, it is best to contact the institution directly. The benefits are granted based on your identity card. You do not need a certificate to receive them.
Need a certificate?
If you are entitled to the increased reimbursement, you will receive the social benefits based on your identity card. Do you still need a certificate for a discount on public transport, the social energy tariff or another social benefit? Then you can download the certificate via your Mijn Helan account.
Practical questions and answers
You can check this in My Helan, under the section My health insurance.
No, you may continue to use your old adhesive stamps.
You can continue to benefit from the increased allowance until your family situation changes, or until the health insurance fund carries out a systematic review. We are required to follow up on your file.
- Each year, we must check whether your income is still below the threshold amount. We use the information we receive from the tax authorities for this. If your income is below the threshold, you keep your right to the increased allowance. If your income is higher than the threshold, we will contact you for a new income assessment.
- If you were granted the increased allowance based on a social benefit, we will check whether you still receive that social benefit. If you no longer receive it, your right to the increased allowance will also end.
Always contact us yourself if the composition of your household changes, because in that case we must carry out a new income assessment.
If the combined income is below the threshold amount, both you and your partner will receive the right to the increased allowance. If your income is too high, the right to the increased reimbursement will end.
You don't need to do anything yourself. We will contact you if a new income test is required.
When your children stay with you for at least 2 days a week, they are added to your household (even if they are registered under your ex‑partner’s health insurance fund). As a result, your threshold amount may be increased.
