Search Q&A
UNEMPLOYMENT / PENSION
Both my husband and i have been made redundant from our jobs after years of employment. I am 60 and my husband is 57. Despite looking hard we could not find new employment in Brussels. Since redundancy we have been living off our savings and a small unemployment payment from the state. It is unclear to us is - how long the unemployment payment go on for? At what age will we be entitled to Our pension? Is there a way of calculating the pension?
All the information you need is available from your mutuelle. Mine has a pension info service at the local office on one morning every 2 weeks; I guess that this, or something similar, is common to all mutuelles.
From memory of what we were told when we enquired - I am a pensioner - you will be eligible for pension when you reach 65 though you can start to draw it earlier if you forgo the right to unemployment benefit - it will be assumed that you are extremely unlikely ever to find new jobs. Be careful if you are offered this option. An acquaintance was given this option and it appeared that he would be better off. However, thanks to certain benefits being taxable and others not, although he actually received more cash in one hand he lost more from the other and ended up worse off than if he had continued to draw unemployment benefit until he was 65.
