Inflation and additional payments: Caritas Miesbach helps with money worries
Created: 09/14/2022, 10:00 am
By: Christian Masengarb
Supporter: If you are running out of money or if you are worried about paying additional costs, you should never ask for help when the problem is there, says Andrea Schneider.
It offers a first point of contact.
© Thomas Plettenberg
Caritas social counselor Andrea Schneider helps people in the district with money problems.
Because of inflation, she's noticing increasing uncertainty, she says.
District – As a Caritas social counselor, Andrea Schneider (51) helps district citizens who are short of money.
In the interview, she explains how she already notices inflation, what her advice is to people and what tips she gives readers.
Inflation and additional payments: Caritas Miesbach helps with money worries
Ms. Schneider, many things are becoming more expensive at the moment. How are the people in the district who are short on money anyway?
I notice increasing insecurity.
Social welfare recipients continue to receive the same standard rates – 150 euros per month for food, 37 euros for housing, maintenance and energy.
That's far too little, especially in our area.
As a result, many people come to us who are in short supply.
You can also see that in the queues at the food banks.
They keep getting longer.
Middle-income people are particularly worried about the back payments for ancillary rental costs that are due at the beginning of 2023.
Will the big problems only come in 2023?
We expect that many people will come to us as soon as the additional payments hit.
But for some of those affected, something could be changed beforehand.
That's why we want to make our offers better known.
Instead of trying to get by as long as possible, we wish people would ask for help before the rent isn't paid.
The longer you wait, the more difficult it becomes.
Appointments are currently possible with us at short notice.
If you are worried about the additional payment, please ask for help in good time!
Inflation hits everyone who doesn't have a large income.
There's no shame in asking for help.
What offers do you offer people?
With social counseling I offer the first point of contact for people with problems of all kinds. I either help them myself or refer them to specialized offers here or elsewhere.
Debt counseling is one of them.
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How exactly do you help?
Many people are not aware of all social benefits.
For example, the assessment limits for child allowance and housing benefit were raised two years ago.
As a result, many more people can now receive the help.
If someone can no longer get by with their money, the first thing I do is check whether the person has unused entitlements.
Your readers can also calculate this from home on the Internet.
For the child supplement, there's the KiZ-Lotsen of the employment agency.
Housing benefit sometimes only brings a few euros.
It's correct.
However, the education and participation package is linked to social benefits.
With this you can receive 156 euros for school supplies or have the costs for class trips and sports clubs covered.
This helps.
Do you also look at people's spending?
It is very important to be aware of what you are spending.
We create budgets with the people and see: Can contracts be terminated or rates adjusted?
This is also a good tip for your readers.
Are you unable to help some people at the moment?
Of course there are also people who manage well and who still have a tight budget.
Our wish list tree campaign offers relief at least at Christmas.
Here, too, very few people know that participation is not only open to social benefit recipients, but also to people on low incomes.
Participation begins October 1st.
Social counseling is also worthwhile for such tips.
information on the internet
The employment agency offers a calculator for entitlement to child allowance at www.web.ar beitsagentur.de/kiz/lotse/index.
html.
Information on housing benefit is available at www.wohngeld.de.
