About this Episode
Family allowances will rise from 1 January 2027: child benefit increases €45/month for under‑12s and €60/month for older children, and the school‑start grant will be €175 (ages 6–11) and €325 (12+ ) from August 2027. A means‑tested top‑up for school‑age children (up to €3,000/year) will also be introduced, with eligibility extended slightly above the usual income cutoff to reach more households.
National Health Fund (CNS) posted a €102 million deficit for 2025 as spending outpaced revenue, driven chiefly by rising outpatient costs. Insured numbers rose to close to 1 million, and a strategic working group has proposed measures to stabilise finances while the Immediate Direct Payment scheme reached roughly 70% of GP and dentist consultations.
Luxembourg’s unemployment rate rose to 6.4% in June, National Statistics Agency Statec reported. The number of registered jobseekers climbed sharply year‑on‑year, with particularly strong increases among highly qualified candidates, even as more than 7,000 vacancies were advertised at the end of the month.
Luxembourg was omitted from a pilot high‑speed weekend service linking Brussels, Roissy, Strasbourg and Basel launching July 2027. Transport Minister Yuriko Backes said Luxembourg had not been involved in the project’s planning and that a direct connection seemed unlikely for a commercial trial, but the ministry will monitor developments and liaise with neighbours. MPs warned the exclusion raises questions about the country’s integration into major European rail networks.
