Relief for Hartz IV recipients on heating costs – “high time”

Created: 2022-03-20 04:51

By: Felix Busjaeger

Hartz IV recipients do not receive a heating subsidy of 135 euros.

Left-wing politician Pascal Meiser sees a need to catch up.

© Frank Hoermann/SVEN SIMON/imago

Uncertainties on the energy market: The Ukraine war is currently influencing the development of heating and fuel prices.

Politicians are now demanding improvements.

Berlin – fuel prices beyond the 2 euro limit, high food prices* and 100 billion for the Bundeswehr: the effects of the Ukraine war* are also affecting more and more Germany.

The price development in the energy sector, which had already assumed threatening proportions at the end of last year, continues to follow the upward trend.

In order to reduce the burden on citizens in Germany, at least in terms of heating costs, the federal government has already announced a heating cost subsidy for housing benefit recipients, some students, school pupils and trainees.

Excluded from the previously planned heating cost subsidies: Hartz IV recipients*.

Left-wing politician Pascal Meiser sees an urgent need for action on the heating subsidy.

Hartz IV recipients at a disadvantage with a heating subsidy – opposition from the CDU/CSU and the left for improvement

While the opposition parties CDU/CSU and Left also criticize the amount of the one-off heating subsidy 2022*, Meiser advocates a nationwide solution for recipients of basic security, i.e. recipients of Hartz IV.

Compared to kreiszeitung.de, the left-wing politician said: "It is high time that it is stipulated by law and nationwide that heating costs must be completely covered by recipients of basic security and recognized as appropriate." Background to the fact that Hartz IV recipients are exempt from a heating cost subsidy The justification is that recipients of Hartz IV, who also suffer from rising electricity prices*, will be covered for the accommodation including the precalculated heating costs.

In reality, however, it often happens that the costs assumed differ from the actual ones.

Sometimes Hartz IV recipients pay extra for the heating costs*.

A written question to the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs now shows how this was the case in the past year.

The question was asked about the actual number of benefit communities in SGB II, i.e. the basic security for job seekers, for which the full heating costs were not covered in 2021.

It was also of interest how large the average difference was between the actual heating costs and the heating costs assumed to be reasonable.

Heating costs for Hartz IV recipients: Local authorities can classify “unreasonable” cost limits themselves

The answer from the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, which is available to kreiszeitung.de, states that there are many reasons why the actual heating costs for Hartz IV recipients could differ from the recognized ones in individual cases.

Among other things, it was stated that the municipal authority can classify the actual costs as unreasonable.

It is also possible that an adequacy check will identify a different area in the accommodation than the total living area.

Contact persons for Hartz IV recipients in Germany are usually the job centers*, some of which are also in municipal hands.

also read

These consumers are entitled to the new heating subsidy

Heating in Germany is becoming more and more expensive.

The traffic light has now doubled the planned heating cost subsidy.

But overall, only about 2.1 million citizens benefit from the premium.

Many consumers get nothing.

These consumers are entitled to the new heating subsidy

High heating costs: one-time subsidy for low earners

Because of the high cost of gas and oil, some people are reluctant to turn up the heating.

Strong back payments are threatened in the summer.

The federal government now wants to step into the breach, at least for low earners.

High heating costs: one-time subsidy for low earners

Meiser states: “When it comes to the question of whether you can afford a heated apartment as a recipient of basic security or whether you have to freeze, it should no longer depend on which municipality you live in and apply for basic security.” When asked about the actual number of benefit communities that fall under SGB II and thus receive Hartz IV*, the ministry replied that on an annual average from November 2020 to October 2021 there were around 95,000 benefit communities in which the actual heating costs were higher than the recognized heating costs - this corresponded to a share of 3 .3 percent.

The average monthly difference was 36 euros.

In his statement, which is available to kreiszeitung.de, Meiser welcomed the fact that the federal government is not questioning the fact that higher heating costs and additional heating cost demands as a result of price increases have to be borne by the municipalities.

High heating costs for Hartz IV recipients: Meiser calls for improvements to the design standards

Nevertheless: left-wing politician Meiser also criticizes the actions of the federal government by Olaf Scholz (SPD) and calls for significant improvements to the design standards.

Because, in his opinion, it is to be feared that the municipalities will apply different standards on the basis of the municipal coffers.

However, this could result in more people being forced into debt.

"It's high time that it was stipulated by law and nationwide that heating costs must be borne in full by recipients of basic security and recognized as reasonable.

The existing patchwork quilt must finally come to an end,” demands Meiser.

In a press release by Susanne Hennig-Wellsow (left), member of the committee for housing, urban development, construction and local authorities and chairwoman of the party, the politician explained: "Almost all statements in the public hearing on the planned heating cost subsidy by the federal government come to the same conclusion that a one-off payment for heating costs is welcome in the short term, but is not sufficient in the long term to meet the constantly rising energy costs.” She called for a necessary solution that should comprehensively reform the energy market.

"In the future, rising prices cannot always be offset with just one-off grants while energy companies continue to increase their profits."

Heating costs with housing benefit: the left advocates the introduction of a warm rent system

For the left, Hennig-Wellsow is therefore calling for a change in housing benefit to a warm rent system that takes into account the actual costs for heating, hot water and electricity.

In addition, low-income households, including those with Hartz IV, are to be supported through regular adjustments.

“Not only are energy prices galloping away at the gas station, but heating is also getting more and more expensive.

That overwhelms many people, especially those on low incomes," says Jan-Marco Luczak, spokesman for construction and housing for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group.

Giving financial support to housing benefit recipients is the right approach.

However, the one-off subsidy of 135 euros proposed by the federal government is far too small. 

In view of the sharp rise in energy prices, the Union also criticizes that the flat-rate heating cost subsidy for housing benefit is not sufficient* and does not take individual differences into account.

"That's why we as the Union are pleading for a quick and unbureaucratic solution for a flat-rate subsidy for an individual hardship regulation, with which further support services can be applied for," said Luczak in a statement published by the parliamentary group.

The ongoing debate shows that the energy issue continues to play an important role in politics - however, given the sharp rise in the price of heating oil as a result of the Ukraine war*, the plans so far are unlikely to be sufficient.

* kreiszeitung.de, fr.de and merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.