For all Bafög recipients: Minister announces important relief

Created: 01/19/2022 17:09

Heating is expensive.

But students could soon receive a grant.

© Demy Becker/dpa

This year's heating season is likely to tear a big hole in the household budget of many consumers.

But now at least Bafög recipients should be relieved.

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

Consumers now have to dig deeper into their pockets, and not just when shopping for groceries.

Energy costs are also increasing almost constantly.

Above all, this also affects social benefit recipients*, such as students who receive student loans.

Bafög: Minister of Education launches heating subsidy

Federal Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger has therefore proposed a heating subsidy for Bafög recipients.

She is optimistic that this will be decided very quickly.

"I'm in the departmental coordination and I'm sure that I'll find a good solution with my colleague Geywitz from the Ministry of Construction," said the FDP politician in an interview with Reuters TV on Wednesday.

She expects a decision to be made “in the next cabinet meeting or the one after that.”

Building Minister Klara Geywitz initiated a one-time heating subsidy of at least 135 euros for around 700,000 households entitled to housing benefit.

Students particularly burdened by the loss of part-time jobs

Stark-Watzinger justified the expansion of the circle of beneficiaries with the fact that during the pandemic, students were particularly burdened by the high heating costs due to the loss of their secondary employment.

It is therefore correct that the one-time heating subsidy is also granted to Bafög recipients.

The ministry expects 420,000 recipients.

Stark-Watzinger put the costs at "a double-digit million amount".

Stark-Watzinger emphasized that there was no threat of delay.

The ministries are in close coordination with each other.

Payment should not be made until summer anyway.