Corona and Long-Covid: What applies to Hartz IV recipients

Created: 2022-01-15Updated: 2022-01-15 06:44

By: Markus Hofstetter

Hartz IV recipients who become disabled due to long-Covid can lose their entitlement to benefits.

But there are alternatives.

© Christoph Hardt/imago

Hartz IV recipients are exposed to an increased long-Covid risk.

But what benefits are they entitled to if they are no longer able to work due to possible long-term corona consequences?

An overview.

Munich – The corona virus * has been busy the world for around two years.

And it's not over yet.

The Omikron variant is currently spreading, and other variants could follow.

The corona virus hits the poorer part of the population in particular.

This is the result of a study by the Economic and Social Science Institute (WSI)* of the Hans Böckler Foundation, which is close to the trade union.

This is confirmed by an analysis by AOK Rheinland/Hamburg, according to which Hartz IV recipients are exposed to an 84 percent higher than average risk of ending up in hospital with corona disease.

The virologist Hendrik Streeck even justified* why a better social status reduces the risk of corona.

Long-Covid: Hartz IV recipients are at greater risk

Anyone who has survived a corona infection can also suffer from so-called long-Covid.

These are the late or long-term health consequences of the disease, the symptoms of which can include tiredness or palpitations.

Long-Covid seems to be more common than previously thought.

According to a Mainz study*, 40 percent of the ill study participants report long-Covid symptoms.

So there is a good chance that Hartz IV recipients are at a higher risk of suffering from Long-Covid.

But what does this mean for their entitlement to Hartz IV* or future citizen income*?

Hartz IV with Long-Covid: Limited entitlement

In principle, those affected are only entitled to benefits under SGB II if they are able to work.

The Employment Agency* considers those who can work at least three hours a day and are not

prevented from doing so for the foreseeable future due to illness or disability.

In the event of illness, it should generally be realistic to start work within six months.

However, if the medical service determines that an illness still results in incapacity to work after six months, the entitlement to Hartz IV* expires.

Because people who are not able to work do not have an independent claim to benefits under SGB II.

Disability pension with Long-Covid

The person concerned is asked by the job center* to apply for a disability pension instead of Hartz IV. However, the applicant must meet certain requirements. You must have paid into the statutory pension insurance for at least five years. In addition, you must have paid compulsory contributions to the pension insurance for at least three years in the last five years before the onset of the reduction in earning capacity. It does not have to be a contiguous period of time.

If the conditions are met, the former Hartz IV recipient receives the full disability pension.

After all, it had already been established that he could not work more than three hours a day for health reasons.

By the way: If you can still work between three and six hours a day, the pension insurance only pays half of the disability pension.

You are expected to look for a part-time job. 

Long-Covid: Last resort social assistance

The amount of the disability pension depends on the individual pension entitlement.

The average payment of the full disability pension can provide a clue.

In 2019, this was 842 euros in the west and 882 euros in the east per month. 

If those affected by long-Covid are still able to work three to six hours a day, they can claim a pension from the job center for partial disability.

This is then counted towards the Hartz IV standard rate*.

If a Hartz IV recipient does not meet the requirements for receiving a disability pension, for example the required minimum contribution years, he is dependent on social assistance.