What is the difference between PAB and PVB? Guide 2026

What is the PAB?

The Personal Assistance Budget (PAB) is an annual Flemish subsidy for minors with a disability, allowing parents to purchase assistance directly. It was introduced in the late 1990s and, since the PVB came into force in 2017, applies exclusively to children up to age 21.

With a PAB budget, you can fund:

• A personal assistant in an employment relationship (e.g. through Nanny's), accompanying the child at home, school, or activities.
• Services from a recognised PAB-support organisation.
• Volunteers or family members, in limited and specific cases.

The amount is granted on the basis of a support plan drafted by the family and depends on the child's care intensity. Approval runs through the VAPH's provincial evaluation committee.

PAB continues for children who held it before turning 21 — at that age it automatically transitions into a PVB.

What is the PVB?

The Person-Following Budget (PVB) has been the Flemish standard system for adults with a disability since 2017. For adults, it replaces both the PAB and the old institutional funding, built around a single principle: the budget follows the person, not the institution.

With a PVB, you choose how to organise your care:

• Cash spending: directly employ a personal assistant — for example a PVB assistant through Nanny's.
• Voucher spending: use authorised care providers (residential or day centres).
• A combination of both.

The PVB is granted in 12 budget categories, from category I (lowest, around €11,000/year) to category XII (highest, around €88,000/year in 2025). The category is determined by an objective assessment by a Multidisciplinary Team (MDT).

Applying for a PVB runs through several steps: draft a support plan → MDT assessment → submit to VAPH → allocation or placement on the central waiting list. Wait times can stretch to years for non-urgent files, although urgency procedures exist for crisis and automatic-allocation situations.

PAB versus PVB: the key differences

The core differences between PAB and PVB are in target audience, age, budget size, and spending freedom.

| | PAB | PVB |

|---|---|---|

| Target audience | Minors up to 21 | Adults from 21 |

| Status | Phasing out (only for existing files) | Standard since 2017 |

| Budget scale | Fixed amount based on support plan | 12 categories (€11k–€88k+ /year) |

| Spending freedom | Cash spending (assistant, org, volunteer) | Cash, voucher, or combined |

| Management | Parents / legal representatives | Person themself or budget holder |

| Waiting list | Limited | Yes, often years for non-urgent files |

What stays the same: both budgets are managed by VAPH, both allow you to employ a personal assistant, and neither is treated as taxable income for the person with a disability.

Note: a PAB or PVB assistant is typically employed by the budget holder directly (or by an authorised provider). At Nanny's, we guide the matching process between budget holder and assistant and support the practical setup.

Frequently Asked Questions