The MR group in the Chamber, through the Chair of the Social Affairs Committee Denis Ducarme, intends to quickly have measures adopted to secure the status of informal carers. The aim is to prevent those who devote themselves to a relative losing their independence from ending up with no income as of 1 March.
“My determination is total, explains federal MR MP Denis Ducarme, we must do everything to ensure that no one is left without income because they chose to help a relative. This can happen very quickly if everyone shows good will. I therefore invite all political groups to support our amendments to strengthen financial support, clarify recognition criteria and relax deadlines for the benefit of informal carers. I will therefore convene an exceptional committee session tomorrow to vote on the amended text and thus allow a direct return to plenary session for a final vote. The conference of presidents, following our insistence, has indeed authorised the Social Affairs Committee to deal with the matter quickly.”
For weeks, federal MR MPs Julie Taton and Florence Reuter have been championing this essential issue in committee and plenary sessions. By adapting the Lanjri bill and ensuring it is voted on without delay, the MR aims to prevent informal carers from becoming collateral victims of a reform, even as they carry out essential work for a sick, elderly or disabled relative.
The MR puts forward three key amendments.
- Increase in allowances linked to the informal carer exemption
From 1 March 2026, the MR proposes raising the unemployment allowance of a jobseeker benefiting from the informal carer exemption to the level of the flat-rate unemployment allowance for cohabitants (around €745.94 per month, €28.69 per day, indexed amounts), and increasing the integration allowance for young informal carers to the level of the integration allowance for cohabitants over 21. - Adjustment of exemption criteria to specifically recognise informal carers
The amendments introduce, with retroactive effect from 31 December 2025, a clear criterion of “care provided to a person by a recognised informal carer”. This applies to those who can produce a certificate from their health insurance fund proving their official recognition as an informal carer for the granting of social rights, in order to avoid any administrative grey area and secure their rights. - Temporary flexibility in submission deadlines
Exemption requests with a start date between 31 December 2025 and 31 March 2026 may be submitted up to and including 31 March 2026, by way of derogation from the current requirement to submit the request in advance to the ONEM. Those who have lost or are losing their unemployment entitlement on 1 January or 1 March 2026 will thus still be able to submit a request with retroactive effect until 31 March. After this deadline, the normal rules will apply again: this is a transitional mechanism so that no one is left behind during the reform.