War refugees: More costs for the district of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen

Created: 04/27/2022, 19:00

By: Veronika Ahn-Tauchnitz

From June, the job center will be the contact point for war refugees from Ukraine.

(symbol image) © dpa

1450 Ukrainian war refugees are (as of Tuesday) registered in the district.

The local authorities will find their accommodation significantly more expensive from June 1st.

Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen

– District Administrator Josef Niedermaier used the meeting of the district social committee on Monday for a progress report.

While the Ukraine refugees are currently still subject to the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act, the provisions of the Social Security Codes will apply to them from June 1st.

This means they are entitled to Hartz IV, among other things. The job center is then responsible for them.

It also takes care of qualification measures and getting people to earn their living.

In view of this, the "system change" is not so bad, said Niedermaier.

"The toolbox, i.e. the possibilities to help the refugees, is bigger there than in the asylum system."

The first problem, however, is that the 1,450 data records of the refugees who have already been registered cannot simply be transferred to the job center in view of data protection.

"Everyone has to fill out a new application again," explained Theresa Deselaers, head of the social department, at the meeting.

In addition, every future Hartz IV recipient must have opened an account by June 1st, because the job center is not allowed to make cash payments.

"But we hope that there will be an interim solution here," said Deselaers.

Far-reaching decision of the Prime Ministers' Conference responsible for the increase in accommodation costs

The biggest sticking point of the system change is the cost of accommodation (KdU).

In the area of ​​asylum, “the Free State reimburses us for the costs.

In part, we post directly to the state budget," said Niedermaier.

Now the KdU for the Ukrainian war refugees just like for any other Hartz IV recipients are stuck with the circle, and the federal government pays a subsidy.

Most recently it was around 70 percent.

Conversely, this means: "A third of the costs end up with the district, and they get them back from the municipalities via the district levy," said Niedermaier.

How high the expenses will be is difficult to estimate at the moment.

Also because the legislature already abolished the upper rent limits during the Corona period.

Put simply, this means that no matter what an apartment costs, the rent and ancillary costs are covered.

The district calculated at the beginning of the year with 8.6 million euros - of which he gets a good 70 percent back from the federal government.

And this despite the fact that the number of Hartz IV benefit communities was at a historic low of 1,370.

All these numbers will now have to be significantly increased.

The district mayors have something else to worry about.

Because "the possibility of providing state-funded accommodation such as gyms is also eliminated," said Niedermaier.

Some city hall chiefs now fear that refugees who cannot find a place to stay or who have to move out of the hotels, hostels and private quarters that are now in use will be considered homeless.

The cities and municipalities would then be responsible for their accommodation.

"The gyms will probably become the homeless shelters that the communities will have to operate," says Niedermaier.

Blackboards can hardly cope with the rush

However, the Bavarian municipalities should not complain too loudly about shifting costs, Niedermaier noted.

Because in all other federal states, a large part of the expenditure on the accommodation of asylum seekers is left to the municipalities.

“The Ukraine regulation is a big step forward for them.

Only in Bavaria does one worry come after the next,” said the district administrator.

Birgitta Opitz (CSU) once again pointed out the precarious situation of the food banks in the district, which are currently hardly or no longer able to cope with the rush (we reported).

Niedermaier understands the problem, but he cannot solve it.

Because when issuing the social card, which entitles you to collect it from the table, you cannot differentiate.

Anyone who falls below a certain income limit is entitled to the card, which also grants a whole range of other benefits.

Theresa Deselaers also emphasized this: "We cannot say to one part: You are not allowed to go to the blackboard."

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