9-euro ticket, energy flat rate: relief package fixed!

Corona bonus for Hartz IV doubled

Created: 05/11/2022, 04:58

By: Jens Kiffmeier

Decided on the 2022 relief package in the cabinet: Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP).

© Kay Nietfeld/dpa

Energy price flat rate, child benefit bonus, Hartz IV or 9-euro ticket: the traffic light cabinet has decided on the 2022 relief package.

But what now?

Berlin – Compensation for high prices for petrol, diesel, gas and oil: the federal government has decided on the 2022 relief package worth billions.

In the coming months, German consumers can therefore look forward to an energy price flat rate of 300 euros, a fuel discount, a Hartz IV subsidy or a child benefit bonus.

In view of the increased energy costs, he was happy that the traffic light coalition had "taken decisive steps to relieve the burden on citizens," said SPD party leader Lars Klingbeil to kreiszeitung.de and at the same time promised rapid implementation.

Relief package 2022: Cabinet launches energy price flat rate, 9-euro ticket, fuel discount, child benefit bonus and Hartz IV subsidy

With the 2022 relief package, the federal government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) is reacting to the enormous increase in energy prices for natural gas, oil and coal.

Most recently, consumer costs had come under severe pressure because of the Ukraine war.

The leaders of the SPD, FDP and Greens had therefore agreed on concrete countermeasures.

The 2022 relief package now provides for the following compensation:

• Flat-rate energy costs: All employees subject to income tax should receive a one-off payment of 300 euros gross.

• Tank discount: The energy tax on fuel will be reduced for a limited period of three months.

  This should cost almost 30 cents less per liter of petrol and 14 cents less for diesel.

• 9-euro ticket: A 9-euro monthly ticket for local and regional public transport is available nationwide for three months.

• Child benefit bonus: The child benefit is increased once by 100 euros per child.

• Subsidy to Hartz IV: All recipients of basic security were originally supposed to get 100 euros.

  However, the federal government agreed to double the corona bonus from the relief package for Hartz IV recipients to 200 euros.

Relief package 2022: From when?

Payment of energy allowance and child benefit will probably only come in September?

After the cabinet decision, the Bundestag and the Bundesrat still have to agree.

But the yes is considered relatively safe.

Despite a few minor discrepancies, the fundamental need for the 2022 relief package is indisputable in the federal and state governments.

According to the government's plans, the legislative package should come into force from June.

However, due to bureaucratic hurdles, the payment of individual measures, such as child benefit or the flat-rate energy cost allowance, could take until September.

However, individual modalities could still be discussed.

Criticism from the federal states had recently been raised because the federal government only wanted to make 2.5 billion euros available for the 9-euro ticket.

That was not enough, some transport ministers complained.

And social organizations were bothered by the fact that the pensioners got nothing from the relief package.

Little help for pensioners?

Klingbeil and Lindner reject criticism of the relief package

Klingbeil rejected part of the criticism on Wednesday.

The SPD leader made it clear that the coalition had already increased the pension in July.

In addition, the tank discount and the 9-euro ticket are not only an advantage for the employees, but also for the recipients of the pension scheme.

For Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP), the state is already reaching its limits.

"The state will not be able to compensate for everything in the long run," said the FDP politician, according to the dpa news agency.

Economic hardship can be cushioned in the short term and structural breaks prevented.

But all the measures could only have the “character of a shock absorber”, he added.

In the medium term one would probably have to accept a loss of prosperity in one place or another.

Nevertheless, a short time later, Lindner held out the prospect of further tax relief to cushion inflation.