Hartz IV successor: the amount of the planned citizen's benefit causes severe criticism - "bad joke"
Created: 06/09/2022, 21:18
By: Patricia Huber
With the third relief package, a specific figure was given for the first time for the amount of the new standard rate of citizen income.
But social organizations consider the increase to be insufficient.
Berlin – The federal government has launched a third relief package.
This time the focus is, among other things, on the electricity price and help for pensioners, students and trainees.
However, the results of the coalition committee also contain a paragraph that should be of interest to Hartz IV recipients.
Citizens' allowance: Relief package quantifies the amount of the money
Point number six is about the introduction of citizen income.
The reformed unemployment benefit II has been hotly debated over the past few weeks.
In particular, the amount of the standard rate, which is currently 449 euros, played a central role.
Because recipients and social organizations are demanding significantly more money.
After all, Hartz IV recipients would also have to contend with high inflation.
Now there is finally a figure for the amount of money in black and white.
The rule set is to be changed in the future so that inflation is taken into account more quickly and better.
"This will begin on January 1, 2023, at the start of citizen's income and will lead to an increase to around 500 euros," the paper says literally.
Hartz IV reform: Green leader sees the right step
The governing parties see this increase as the right step.
"With this relief package, we have made this country a bit fairer," said Green party leader Ricarda Lang, also referring to the increase in the standard rate for future citizen income.
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Citizens' allowance standard rate: Social association boss Schneider disappointed
At the social association VdK, on the other hand, the mood is gloomy - President Verena Bentele has criticized the plans.
At
NDR Info she said
that an increase of 50 euros would not secure the subsistence level.
Ulrich Schneider, President of the Parity Welfare Association, is also disappointed.
In a statement on the third relief package, he explains: “The announced increase in basic security to just under 500 euros from January 1st is at best a bad joke and will, if at all, compensate for inflation.
So the new citizen's income can certainly not be sold as a social, innovative achievement.” He continues to call for an increase in the standard rates by 200 euros – i.e. to around 650 euros.
(ph)
