Energy price flat rate, citizens' allowance, gas price brake - when the current aid package will reach you
Created: 01/12/2023, 16:00
By: Anna Heyers
The federal government wants to relieve its citizens.
Part of this is also the third relief package, in which many bonuses are now taking effect.
What can we expect now?
Costs are rising everywhere.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) said at the beginning of November: "It is very important that we support the citizens in view of the enormous price increase." So that the citizens of Germany can do this in the best possible way, there are so-called relief packages from the federal government.
However, it is not always easy to see through who is entitled to what and when.
An overview should help:
Aid packages: When will the energy price flat rate come?
Most citizens should already have received the energy price flat rate.
Since September 1 of last year, there has been a one-off (and not tax-free) amount of 300 euros as a wage subsidy.
If this was paid quarterly, the employees in question had to wait longer, but they should have received the payment by now.
Note: Not everyone gets this payout.
Pensioners benefit, students generally do not.
For this group, the energy price lump sum in 2023 should now be possible once.
Students, professional students and trainees enrolled on December 1, 2022 can receive them.
However, the payment must be actively requested.
However, there is currently no exact date or a corresponding application platform (as of January 12, 2023).
Relief: renewed heating subsidy
Already last year there was a heating cost subsidy for BAföG recipients and people who receive training money or allowances.
However, since the rising costs are still ongoing, a further subsidy for these groups follows:
Students/trainees who receive BAföG or training money or aid
Recipients of housing benefit/Wohngeld Plus
Low-income families/single parents
Low Income/Pension Seniors
It is not yet clear when the second heating subsidy will come.
According to the German Association of Cities, the payment is not expected until the end of January 2023 or the beginning of February 2023, reports the
MDR
.
Also applies retrospectively: gas price brake
The gas price brake will not officially take effect until March 2023, but will also apply retrospectively to January and February 2023 and is initially limited to February 2024.
The price for private households and small to medium-sized companies is capped.
In figures, this means that twelve cents per kilowatt hour of gas are paid for 80 percent of the annual consumption forecast in September, and 9.5 cents for district heating.
The contract price applies to the remaining 20 percent.
Up to 926 euros in relief are possible.
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In order to benefit from the price brakes, citizens and companies do not have to take action themselves.
This happens automatically, for example via the billing from the energy supplier or the utility bill from the landlord.
(Iconic image) © B. Leitner/Imago
Electricity price brake – conditions similar to those for gas
The electricity price brake is very similar to the gas price brake: It can be applied for January and February, but officially only takes effect from March 2023 and is limited until next February.
With the electricity price brake, up to 80 percent of consumption is capped (40 cents per kilowatt hour), the current market prices are paid for the rest.
New name: Hartz 4 becomes citizen money
From now on, unemployment benefit II is no longer called Hartz 4, but citizen benefit.
This is a bit higher in the rate and single people now get more money with 502 euros (plus 53 euros).
In addition, the allowances for additional earnings between 520 and 1,000 euros are to increase from 20 to 30 percent from July 2023.
According to the Federal Ministry, the following applies to families with children: “The standard rates for children will also be increased significantly – depending on their age by 33 to 44 euros more per month.”
Energy price flat rate simple: How much money is there for whom?
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Child benefit was increased
Child benefit is also increasing: for the first three children there is now a standard payment of 250 euros per month, with the exception of single parents with maintenance advances.
In addition to child benefit, the maximum amount of the child supplement for families with low incomes has also increased to 250 euros per month per child.
On the go: when will the 49-euro ticket come out?
After the great success of the 9-euro ticket last summer, the 49-euro ticket, also known as the Germany ticket, is to come this year.
With the planned ticket, travelers should be able to use local public transport throughout Germany in the future – for 49 euros a month.
It should actually apply from March, but according to the German Press Agency (dpa) the talk is currently of April 1, 2023.
