AreaRead the video transcript expand here
From the paperwork that Silvana van Baaren spreads out in front of her, she can see how prices have developed over the past two years.
The receipts show that the Berlin Hartz 4 recipient has to pay more and more in the supermarket to make ends meet for herself and her two teenage daughters.
Silvana van Baaren
»Here I have a receipt from November 24th, 2021, for example.
Bananas were 99 cents a kilo.
In the meantime, they have already become 30 cents more expensive.
Or the chicken breast that we always buy, it used to cost 89 cents, now it’s 99 cents.«
For Silvana van Baaren and her boyfriend, this means: save even more, think even more about every expense - especially when it comes to food.
With Hartz 4 plus a 450-euro mini-job as a babysitter and child benefit, the 35-year-old has around 1,500 euros a month for her family of three for groceries, electricity, telephone, clothing and other everyday expenses.
Silvana van Baaren
»And there is no need for politicians to brag: 'We have raised Hartz 4 by five euros' - the prices have sometimes increased by a factor of 10, 20 or 30
.
The relation just doesn't exist.
«
Many things are becoming more expensive, this impression is confirmed by economic researchers.
After 3.1 percent last year, they are expecting a general inflation rate of four percent this year, and for food even 7 percent compared to the previous year.
She bought the two cats for the van Baaren family during the Corona period, but the food shouldn’t cost a lot.
Money worries are omnipresent.
Rent, heating and ancillary costs, as well as health insurance, are covered by the job center for Hartz 4 recipients - but not the ever-increasing electricity costs.
Silvana van Baaren
»Here I have my year-end statement.
And it says, 'Your power consumption has gone down.'
Then an additional payment, which I have to pay later, €173.18.
And if you take a look, here is a 2-person household, 3440 kilowatts, and what we consume is 2633 kilowatts.
That means we don't even have as high a consumption as a 2-person household and there are three of us living here.
And then I ask myself, how far should I limit myself?
That will not do."
173 euros additional payment despite a rather low consumption, that may still be manageable for many households - for Silvana van Baaren that means applying for a loan from the job center and paying it off over months.
And energy prices are likely to continue to rise as part of the "energy transition", which will affect low earners in particular:
While households in the net income class above 5,000 euros have to spend an average of 4.7% of their consumer spending on residential energy, according to the Federal Statistical Office it is 9.5% net in the lowest income class below 1,300 euros, i.e. around twice as much.
There is a risk of energy poverty and, in the worst case, power cuts.
In order to counteract this, the new federal government is proposing a cancellation of the EEG surcharge, a one-time heating subsidy for recipients of housing benefit or student loans, as well as a "climate money" for every citizen anchored in the coalition agreement. That is not enough and is socially unbalanced, criticize the opposition and social organizations .
None of this has been implemented yet.
For Silvana van Baaren, there was only an increase in the Hartz 4 standard rate of 3 euros on January 1st.
With the current rise in food and energy prices, that's a drop in the bucket.
Van Baaren gets help from the "Arche" foundation, which takes care of socially disadvantaged families. For about a year, the 35-year-old has been getting food donations here when she needs them.
"It's also become a bit scarce, food prices have risen massively."
"Yes, whether it's eggs, whether it's coffee, whether it's milk, fruit and vegetables."
“We tested it a bit here, here in the ark. So we're assuming that what's usually cheaper, that's where groceries went up by 30 percent."
The "Arche" knows many cases like that of Silvana van Baaren. For some time now, more families have been coming than before, who are dependent on food and other donations.
Wolfgang Büscher, "Die Arche" Children's Foundation
We have found that from the 20th of the month families call here, ask here, sometimes cry on the phone, many don't really dare to ask, then it's about the children, so there is a great need in Germany among the people who do not earn that much money.
Silvana van Baaren
For each of us Hartz 4 recipients, low earners, it takes a lot of effort to even ask for help.
And now I've said: I need your help.
I can't do this alone.
So not only for my children, but also for myself.
