Energy flat rate for retirees: when and how retirees get the one-time payment

Created: 2022-10-02 04:48

By: Patricia Huber

Pensioners got nothing from the second relief package.

Now the traffic light is improving and is also planning the energy flat rate of 300 euros for retirees.

Berlin – Life in Germany is becoming more and more expensive.

According to preliminary calculations, the inflation rate in August was 7.9 percent.

In this month, they are likely to rise again, since major relief such as the nine-euro ticket or the fuel discount have now expired.

The financial burden is a major challenge, especially for older people with low pensions.

That is why the federal government has finally thought of pensioners in its third relief package.

Energy flat rate for pensioners: There is money on December 1st

With the previous aid, criticism was repeatedly raised that the group of pensioners was simply forgotten.

For the most part, these went empty handed.

Only at the end of August did the head of the social association VdK, Verena Bentele, criticize that Finance Minister Christian Lindner had no idea of ​​the reality of life for pensioners.

She called for urgent support for retirees.

The result paper of the coalition committee on the third relief package states: "Pensioners will receive an energy price flat rate of 300 euros as of December 1, 2022".

Sounds great at first, but there is a small catch.

Because the lump sum is - like the one-time payment for employees - subject to income tax.

However, this also means that the lower the pension, the more effective the absolute relief.

One-time payment for pensioners: payment via the German pension insurance

Now the only question that remains is how pensioners can get the promised one-off payment in the first place.

According to the result paper, it should be quite easy.

Like the normal pension, the energy lump sum should then be paid out via the German pension insurance.

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VdK President Bentele welcomes the plans.

The relief package is "impressive".

The planned volume of 65 billion euros shows "that the government has understood: it finally has to be helped in a targeted manner."