OCMW / CPAS letter explained in English
Social welfare office. The local public social welfare centre. It gives the living wage (leefloon / revenu d’intégration), emergency help and debt help.
Letters you may get
- Beslissing / décision — whether you get the living wage or other help, and how much
- Uitnodiging / convocation — an appointment with your social worker
- Terugvordering / récupération — they want money back
What to do
- You can appeal a decision at the labour court (arbeidsrechtbank / tribunal du travail) within 3 months. It is free.
- Ask your social worker about debt help and energy help — many OCMWs / CPAS offer both.
- Find the deadline. Look for “termijn”, “uiterlijk op”, “délai”, “au plus tard le”.
- Write the reference number from the letter on everything you send back, and keep copies.
- If you disagree with a decision, object in writing before the deadline (“bezwaarschrift”, “beroep”, “verzet”, “bezwaar”). See the template.
Words you may see
- leefloon
- Living wage from the OCMW for people with no or too little income.
- arbeidsrechtbank
- Labour court. You can appeal social security decisions there, usually within 3 months and for free.
- terugvordering
- Request to pay back money you got but weren’t entitled to.
- CPAS
- Public social welfare centre in your town. It helps with money, debt and housing problems.
- revenu d’intégration
- Living wage from the CPAS for people with no or too little income.
- tribunal du travail
- Labour court. You can appeal social security decisions there, usually within 3 months and for free.
- indu
- Money paid to you by mistake that they want back.
Questions
What is the OCMW / CPAS?
Social welfare office. The local public social welfare centre. It gives the living wage (leefloon / revenu d’intégration), emergency help and debt help.
How long do I have to answer a letter from the OCMW / CPAS?
It depends on the letter. Look for words like “termijn”, “uiterlijk op”, “délai”, “au plus tard le” — they mark the deadline. In Belgium, a letter sent by post is usually treated as received on the third working day after the date it was sent. Many deadlines, for example 6 months to object to a tax bill, start from that day. To object, the letter usually names the way to do it (“bezwaarschrift”, “beroep”, “verzet”, “bezwaar”).
Can I read a OCMW / CPAS letter in English?
Yes. Take a photo of the letter with Briefly. It explains the letter in plain English, finds the deadline and the amount, and gives you ready-made replies in Dutch or French. Your letter never leaves your device.
Other offices in Belgium
FOD Financiën / SPF Finances · Vlaamse Belastingdienst / Brussel Fiscaliteit / SPW Fiscalité · Gemeente / Commune · RVA / ONEM · VDAB / Actiris / Le Forem · Ziekenfonds / Mutualité · Groeipakket / Allocations familiales · Dienst Vreemdelingenzaken / Office des Étrangers