"Socially the coldest Christmas": Child poverty among Hartz IV families is growing - citizen income too low
Created: 12/21/2022, 4:20 p.m
By: Patricia Huber
The high inflation hits Hartz IV families in particular.
This leads to a worsening of child poverty in Germany, the child protection association and the left warn.
Berlin – The Christmas festival usually causes bright eyes, especially among children.
After all, the anticipation of the presents under the Christmas tree is always huge.
But not every family can afford a lavish gift.
Especially with Hartz IV recipients there is usually no budget left for gifts.
After all, the standard rate of 449 euros per month so far has been calculated precisely and very tightly.
Hartz IV and inflation: child poverty is growing
Added to this is the inflation rate of ten percent, which is a major burden for all those affected and especially Hartz IV recipients.
Left parliamentary group leader Dietmar Bartsch has already accused the federal government of letting parts of the population down in the face of high inflation.
"For millions, it will be the coldest Christmas in social terms in decades," Bartsch told the
Augsburger Allgemeine
.
Children are particularly affected by this, the left-wing politician notes.
The Child Protection Association warns of this.
According to a report, more than every fifth child in Germany is now affected by poverty.
The federal government is therefore asking the traffic light government to do something concrete about this problem.
Both the social infrastructure and monetary benefits are urgently needed for this.
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Citizens’ allowance: New standard rates are not enough for “growing up without poverty”
But the standard children's rates for the new citizen's income are not yet high enough.
"The standard rates, which will be partially adjusted to inflation from 2023, mean some relief for the families affected, but they do not enable the children and young people to grow up without poverty," says the declaration of the child protection association.
From 2023, there will be 420 euros per month for children between the ages of 14 and 17 on basic income.
A child between the ages of six and 13 receives 348 euros and children up to the age of five receive 318 euros per month.
The President of the Child Protection Association, Heinz Hilgers, even expects the situation with child poverty to worsen.
“Inflation hits families who are on a tight budget particularly hard.
Child poverty will therefore increase again significantly in the coming year," he told the
Stuttgarter Zeitung
.
Hilgers also called for additional immediate bonuses for children next year.
Politics should not leave families in need hanging.
He also warned again that the traffic light coalition's plans for basic child security should be implemented quickly.
(ph/dpa)
