Since early 2026, the VAPH (Flemish Disability Agency) has entered a reformed phase for Directly Accessible Support (RTH) — the low-threshold support for people with a (suspected) disability who don't need a personal assistance budget. For many drempelvrij.be readers, this is the most impactful policy change of 2026.
This article primarily covers the Flemish system (VAPH). Wallonia has a separate agency AVIQ (aviq.be) with different categories.
In this explainer: what changes concretely, which three care-intensity levels are being introduced, and what this means for your future applications or ongoing support.
Important disclaimer: this page is a practical explainer for end-users. For the official regulations and current amounts: always see vaph.be. We are not VAPH advisors — when in doubt, speak with your multidisciplinary team.
What is RTH again?
Directly Accessible Support (RTH) is the low-threshold category of VAPH support:
- For whom: persons with a disability or suspected disability who don't need a heavy care package
- What: limited support — guidance, day care, temporary residence, mobile or ambulatory help
- Why "directly accessible": no heavy VAPH recognition required — faster to start than a Personal Assistance Budget (PVB)
- Historical limit: total RTH support per year was capped year on year
What you could traditionally get with RTH:
- Guidance at home or ambulatory
- Day care in a recognized facility
- Temporary residence — for example respite care for informal caregivers
- Mobile help with household tasks or care duties
What changes in 2026?
Core of the reform: a new care-intensity screener with 3 levels, plus +480 million euros in additional support this legislative term.
1. Three care-intensity levels instead of one flat rate
Previously, RTH was a relatively uniform category — you got access to a package with fixed ceilings, regardless of your specific situation. From 2026, VAPH works with three levels that better match the intensity of your support to your actual care needs:
- Level 1: light support — occasional guidance hours, occasional day care
- Level 2: moderate support — more guidance hours, regular day care or temporary residence
- Level 3: more intensive support — higher ceilings for people whose care needs are substantial but do not (yet) justify a PVB
Effect for you: your application will get a level assessment, and your ceilings will align more closely with it.
2. Extra budget this legislative term
+480 million euros extra for people with disabilities. Concretely:
- More RTH budget for existing users
- More facilities that can offer RTH
- Expanded waiting-list solutions — RTH has traditionally been the "waiting-list solution" for people waiting for a PVB
3. New care-intensity screener
The screener instrument that determines which level you end up in has been renewed. No longer based solely on diagnosis, but also on your functional situation (what you can do independently, where you need help, what your social context is).
Important: during your application, your multidisciplinary team (MDT) will go through this screener with you. Prepare yourself: good preparation gives a correct level assessment.
What does this mean for you concretely?
If you already receive RTH support
No action needed on your own initiative — VAPH will reassess ongoing cases during 2026 to fit them into the new system. What you get now stays at least equal; many people will rise to a higher ceiling through the level assessment.
Concretely: wait for a letter from VAPH with info about your new level assessment. If you have questions: call your multidisciplinary team or the VAPH number.
If you don't have RTH support yet
Now is an interesting moment to apply — the ceilings are getting higher and the level assessment makes the offering more precise.
Step-by-step plan:
- Discuss with your GP or specialist whether RTH makes sense for you
- Contact a multidisciplinary team (MDT) — they guide your application
- Fill in the application — the new care-intensity screener is used here
- Processing time: expect 2-4 months for a decision
If you are on a PVB waiting list
RTH can serve as bridging support — more relevant than ever due to the level assessment. Ask your multidisciplinary team which RTH support can be complementary to your PVB application while you wait.
What it is NOT about
Important to avoid confusion:
- RTH is not a replacement for your PVB — Personal Assistance Budgets continue to exist with their own waiting lists
- An automatic increase for existing users is not guaranteed — you must go through the reassessment to know what it means concretely for you
- The screener determines your level — filing an application at "level 3" without a matching functional situation leads to adjustment to a lower level
Practical tips
Prepare your application:
- Document your functional limitations — what no longer works without help, what does
- Make a list of what support you already receive (informal care, occasional help, care services)
- Think ahead: what additional support would qualitatively improve your situation?
Work together with your multidisciplinary team — they know the screener and can help you describe your situation correctly. That's not "gaming the system" — that's making sure you end up correctly in the level that matches.
Look at supplementary support:
- Health insurance fund (mutualiteit): additional reimbursements (e.g. for adapted equipment — see our finding-adapted-bikes article for the handbike-VAPH flow)
- Federal deduction: tax benefits for adapted equipment
- Municipal support: some municipalities have supplementary schemes
Where to find more info
Official VAPH sources (this remains the primary reference):
- vaph.be — Directly Accessible Support — current ceilings and rules
- VAPH phone: reachable during office hours
- Multidisciplinary team (MDT): your guidance team for the application
Community and user perspective:
- Zorgnet-Icuro: umbrella organization of care facilities
- Grip vzw: advocacy association for persons with disabilities — often useful interpretation guidance
- KVG (Katholieke Vereniging Gehandicapten): broad representation
Combine with other pillars
- Finding adapted bikes — VAPH flow for handbike application
- Bike Republic Diest — active VAPH guidance for adapted bikes
- Handbike choice guide — VAPH as part of financing
Finally
The VAPH RTH reform 2026 is, for people with disabilities, one of the larger positive policy steps of this year. Three levels instead of one flat rate make the support more precise, and the +480 million euros extra means this is not just an administrative reorientation but an actual expansion.
Our recommendation: if you receive RTH or are considering it, don't wait passively for the VAPH letter. Call your multidisciplinary team and proactively discuss what the reform can mean for your situation. Some people will gain access through the reform to support that was not previously possible.
For French-speaking Wallonia: the equivalent is AVIQ (Agence pour une Vie de Qualité). AVIQ has its own support categories that are not identical — for Walloon Brabant and Wallonia: aviq.be for the current regulations.
Have questions we didn't cover here? Let us know — we'll expand this pillar as the VAPH reform takes shape.