Health COCOM: Samusocial Nozat, Humanitarian Hub evicted, 23% poverty, early childhood lasagna

Samusocial — 'Nozat' pilot project (20 April 2026)

On 20 April 2026, Samusocial launches the pilot project 'Nozat' at the women's shelter: beer and wine allowed in the ground-floor common areas (locked fridge, forbidden in the rooms). An additional support worker is present for 3 months to assess the scheme. Rationale by Sarah de Liamchine (general director): strict prohibition could be 'experienced as infantilising'. Goals: harm reduction (avoiding rushed consumption before curfew) and a more human welcome.

No change in shelter capacity or funding.

Source: L'Avenir, 'Beer and wine now allowed in Samusocial women's shelter' (20 April 2026).

Humanitarian Hub — eviction of tents (21 April 2026)

The City of Brussels evicted, on Tuesday 21 April 2026 in the morning, the tents set up next to the Humanitarian Hub (Avenue du Port), in coordination with Bruss'Help. Decision called 'difficult' by the City, in a context of chronic emergency-shelter saturation and ongoing migration pressure.

Source: La Libre Bruxelles (21 April 2026).

Poverty in Brussels: 23% and record student integration-income recipients

The Health and Social Observatory documents:

• 2025 poverty rate: 23% (vs 28% in 2023 — the statistical gap is to be interpreted with caution)
• 47,304 integration-income (RIS) recipients in Brussels
• 14,246 students on integration income — i.e. more than all of Flanders (10,064) despite a five-times-smaller population. Wallonia: ~16,000.
• Rising trend among students: +14% over 5 years in Flanders, even stronger in Brussels

This concentration questions the student funding model (CPAS as the last safety net) and the link with regional / Community grants.

Source: Health and Social Observatory; Le Soir / RTBF (April 2026).

Early childcare: the triple lasagna (ONE / Opgroeien / Iriscare)

Brussels early childcare falls simultaneously under three authorities:

• ONE (Office de la Naissance et de l'Enfance, FWB) — French-language accredited childcare
• Opgroeien (Flemish Community) — Dutch-language childcare
• Iriscare (COCOM) — bicommunautary coordination and certain structures

Concrete consequences:

• Up to 10,000 places missing in Brussels (Ligue des Familles)
• For 2 in 3 parents, finding a place is 'difficult or very difficult'
• FWB cuts 2026: €74M in early childcare (ONE, childcare, host homes)
• Stork Plan: 1,700 new places in Brussels + 1,800 in Wallonia (3,500 total) — but opening one place takes 7 to 9 years
• Opgroeien plans ~850 new places via the Masterplan Kinderopvang (2025)

See the cross-cutting dossier: Early childhood.

Sources: Moustique (January 2026), BruxellesToday, RTBF, Opgroeien, BGM early-childhood dossier.

Convalescence: 130 beds — Iriscare call for projects (1 April 2026)

Iriscare launched a call for projects on 1 April 2026 (closure 15 May) for the creation of 130 convalescence beds in the Brussels Region. Objective: bridge the gap between hospital care and return home for fragile patients, particularly the elderly.

Source: Iriscare (April 2026).

People with disabilities

• ~23,100 Brussels residents receive disability allowances (ARR/AI) — 9.1% of the national total
• 5,871 European Disability Cards issued in 2025 (cumulative 14,490)
• Iriscare mobility aids: €5.86M for 40,234 services (2024)
• STIB Taxibus: end of PRM minibus end of 2027 (transition to private taxis, grant raised from €4.7M to €6.7M/year)
• EAA (European Accessibility Act) in force since 28 June 2025 — fines up to €200,000

See the cross-cutting dossier: PRM accessibility.

INAMI 2026 budget: €41.3bn

The INAMI General Council approved the 2026 healthcare budget at €41.297bn (+€1.566bn, growth norm 2% + indexation). Includes €150M of medical-services control, €50M for hospitals, €228M of pharmaceutical savings. Hospital cash flow: €580M of accelerated settlements in 2025, €275M expected in 2026.

Source: Le Spécialiste (2026); federal Public Health, e-Health 2026-2029 plan.

ACS in the health-social sector

The ACS mechanism funds a significant share of staff in home help, early childcare and elderly care services. Effort reduction €40M → €28M (April 2026), article 20 preserved, uniformisation at 95% abandoned, Actiris partnerships budget maintained at €67M. The Activa.brussels premium is confirmed cancelled, replaced by a new scheme in 2027.

See the ACS dossier for the full analysis.

Source: Actiris / RPD; RTBF (April 2026).