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Customer in Fürther Tafel: "Additional social worries in everyday life"
Photo: Daniel Karmann / dpa
Since the first shutdown last spring, social organizations have been calling for an increase in Hartz IV - so far in vain.
Now, however, Hubertus Heil (SPD) seems to be turning around: The Federal Labor Minister has announced a subsidy for recipients of basic security in the pandemic as well as receipts for medical masks in the "Rheinische Post".
This surcharge should be granted because of the corona-related additional burdens.
His ministry is already working on appropriate concepts.
"The extended Corona measures also mean additional social worries in everyday life for people in need in the basic security systems," Heil told the newspaper.
For example, daycare centers, schools and many social institutions are closed.
For children with basic security, there are often free lunches in the educational institutions, which are now no longer available;
a regulation for the delivery of affected families by school caterers is not effective in many places.
The fact that some boards are not available to the usual extent during shutdown also puts a strain on the budget, which is already tight.
In addition, there would be additional expenses, for example for hygiene articles, said the Minister of Labor.
This particularly affects children, single parents, the elderly, the long-term unemployed and people with disabilities who are dependent on government support.
"That is why it is right now to quickly provide a grant for corona-related loads," said Heil.
The Left and the Greens have long been calling for a corona surcharge on the standard rates of basic security.
Another topic is the secure supply of basic security recipients with medical masks - specifically FFP2 and surgical masks.
The federal and state governments are responsible here, said Heil, and suggested a voucher solution: “The federal government has already provided masks to elderly and previously ill people via vouchers for pharmacies.
We should also take this route for recipients of basic income support. "
Several social associations had previously called for financial support for poorer people because of the planned obligation for medical masks in buses, trains and supermarkets.
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