Hartz IV: Gas prices and electricity prices threaten livelihoods

Created: 01/04/2022 12:27 AM

From: Felix Busjaeger

Energy is getting more and more expensive.

The Hartz IV standard rates are too low for this.

© Julian Stratenschulte / dpa

Gas prices and electricity prices continue to rise.

Because of the high energy costs, more and more people find themselves in financial difficulties.

Particularly affected: Hartz IV recipients.

Berlin - Life in Germany is getting more and more expensive.

This also affects recipients of Hartz IV. While inflation climbed to a record high last year, it is in particular the rising gas prices and electricity prices * that are currently causing headaches for people in Germany.

Due to the rising energy price, two groups are affected: people who live on Hartz IV and indebted households.

As a Caritas report shows, the situation is now alarming.

More and more people report to the advice centers who have to get into debt in order to be able to pay the running energy costs.

Debt due to excessively high gas and electricity prices * - the concept of energy poverty has recently been making the rounds.

Hartz IV: Problems with energy debt due to rising gas prices and electricity prices

As a survey carried out in December 2021 among almost 300 consultants from debt counseling, general social counseling and migration counseling shows, the problem is omnipresent at Hartz IV because of the rising gas and electricity prices *.

88 percent of the consultants stated that they have clients who are recipients of Hartz IV and visit the advice centers because they have energy debts.

While Hartz IV plans to replace the traffic light with a citizen's allowance *, 77 percent of those surveyed, who are, for example, recipients of housing benefit or child allowance, also reported a similar problem with the rising electricity or gas prices.

Hartz IV: "Do not accept energy poverty with sight" - "Electricity costs are not adequately covered in the standard requirement"

“The electricity costs are not covered sufficiently in the standard requirement.

We cannot accept energy poverty with sight, ”said Caritas President Eva Maria Welskop-Deffaa.

While even energy suppliers can no longer keep pace with the rising electricity and gas prices and go bankrupt, Eon boss Leonhard Birnbaum also sees a positive effect in this, which could also offer advantages for customers.

Opposite the Rheinische Post he welcomed the bankruptcy of gas companies as a market shakeout and said: "It's not a shame about the unsound speculators who leave customers out in the rain and look for the distance."

Exploding gas price in Germany: gas storage tanks only fill below average

These companies have failed on their delivery promises, so Birnbaum. They had "not backed up their promises and only looked at the short-term profit". At the same time, however, he warned of the current situation with the gas price: Germany had gone into winter with below-average gas storage facilities, and after the Corona recession, the widespread demand for gas would have increased dramatically. This also affects the exploding gas price in Germany, especially when there is a lot of heating *: "If the winter gets very cold now, we could experience unpleasant surprises," said Birnbaum. In case of doubt it would not get colder for the citizens, but it would be more expensive.

While the EU Commission is currently discussing a plan that provides for nuclear and gas-fired power to be classified as green energies in the future, subject to certain conditions, Birnbaum thinks little of the debate: "This is a completely theoretical discussion," he told the Rheinische Post .

German electricity from nuclear energy will soon be history.

Shortly before Christmas, the Stromio company discontinued its supply in the Lower Saxony district of Oldenburg *.

EWE Netz had informed about this.

Immergrün shut down the power supply in Bremen *, among other places, in October.

Increased gas prices and electricity prices: livelihoods of citizens and Hartz IV recipients threatened

One's joy, the other's pain: While Eon would probably benefit from a market shakeout, the increased gas prices * and electricity prices could threaten the livelihoods of many citizens and Hartz IV recipients. As Ralf Ritter, debt counselor and managing director of the Caritas Association for the districts of Uelzen / Lüchow-Dannenberg, reported, households would have to face additional energy costs of around 30 percent. "Low-income families cannot bear that," said Ritter, referring to the recipients of Hartz IV. Particularly affected by the development: people in rural regions. They would drive old diesel vehicles more often and heat the apartments with oil or gas.

This has probably not yet reached the top of the development - even apart from Hartz IV.

Consumers * will feel the current price increases for gas and electricity even more clearly.

For this reason, relief for the citizens must be taken care of as a matter of urgency.

"The plans from the coalition agreement on housing benefits must be implemented quickly," demands the Caritas president.

The heating costs of people receiving basic income support should also be taken over unbureaucratically.

Hartz IV: The standard rate covers energy costs such as the price increase in the electricity price or gas price less and less

At the beginning of the year, the Hartz IV standard rates were adjusted *, but according to the comparison portal Verivox, the money is less and less enough for those affected to pay the sharply rising electricity and gas prices *. According to the information, the additional costs per household are currently 139 euros or almost 32 percent more. While the Hartz IV standard rate rose to an average of 449 euros per month, of which 36.44 euros are provided for paying the electricity bill, the average electricity costs are 48 euros per month.

The Paritätische Gesamtverband is critical of the current development: The standard rates for Hartz IV * are simply too low, according to Ulrich Schneider, General Manager of the association.

“The parity has long been demanding: Electricity costs out of the standard rate and take over in full with the housing costs!

And those who receive housing benefit must not be forgotten either! "

Energy prices in Germany: EU Commission has plans with nuclear power and gas energy

The current development of energy prices in Germany is not only stirring up the end consumer market or consumers, including those receiving Hartz IV, but also politics.

While the EU Commission is causing numerous debates with its plans for nuclear power and gas energy *, decisive weeks are coming up for the Greens: The current party leadership consisting of Robert Habeck and Annalena Baerbock will step down and a successor will be found at the end of January.

Nord Stream 2: Nouripour causes criticism with a statement about the gas pipeline

Among other things, Omid Nouripour is a hot contender for the post. That he could get caught in the crossfire of the party, he got the feeling of an energy issue of all things - with the long-running Nord Stream 2 *. The Russian Gazprom pipeline has been causing discussions for months and is ready for action for the necessary certification by the Federal Network Agency. Nouripour told the Passauer Neue Presse that the "fundamental political decisions" had already been made by the previous government. There was clear criticism from environmentalists for this.

Energy expert Constantin Zerger from Deutsche Umwelthilfe wrote on Twitter that the Greens should not shirk their responsibility.

In his opinion, Gazprom's * pipeline project could still be stopped.

Nouripour answered personally: To “promise to be able to repair all the wrong decisions of the last few years would not be louder.” * Kreiszeitung.de and merkur.de are offers from IPPEN.MEDIA.