As of: February 23, 2024, 5:05 p.m
By: Thomas Steinhardt
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A payment card (example photo).
© PayCenter GmbH (via dpa)
Regardless of the bickering in Berlin, payment cards for asylum seekers will soon be introduced in Bavaria.
The Fürstenfeldbruck district is one of four model districts.
The card is scheduled to be issued in March.
Fürstenfeldbruck – Around 1,530 people are affected in the district who are currently receiving payments under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act.
“We hope that the extensive abolition of cash payments and the simultaneous introduction of a payment card system will reduce social pull factors,” says District Administrator Thomas Karmasin.
Test phase
There is actually nothing standing in the way of the test phase starting in March in the district.
The Interior Ministry announced this week that the Paycenter company from Freising won the bid after a Europe-wide tender.
In addition to the political will, there is now also a specific provider of the card.
Incentives to escape
The payment card will put an end to the misuse of services, especially for smuggling gangs, says District Administrator Thomas Karmasin.
The payment card was therefore an important demand of the Bavarian District Council.
In order to overcome the migration crisis, incentives to flee would have to be reduced, among other things.
Too generous
The payment card is one step among many.
Karmasin: “In a Europe-wide comparison of asylum seeker benefits, we are too generous.” This also applies to the citizen’s benefit for Ukrainians decided by the traffic light.
“We can only achieve a turnaround in asylum policy through limitation and control.” The district administrator emphasizes that the Ministry of the Interior is preparing the introduction of the map with the pilot municipalities.
“I trust that it will be implemented well and do not expect any unreasonable bureaucratic effort.”
Fully on schedule
In addition to the Fürstenfeldbruck district, the map is also being tested in Traunstein, Günzburg and the independent city of Straubing.
It turns out that the 14 federal states that are waiting for the federal government will be significantly later, said Secretary of the Interior Sandro Kirchener.
This is because the nationwide tender has still not started.
“This shows that Bavaria's partly criticized start immediately after the decision of the Prime Minister's Conference was correct,” said Kirchner.
“We are right on schedule.”
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Here's how it works
And this is how the whole thing is supposed to work: Asylum seekers receive the credit on the card that corresponds to their individual entitlement according to the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act.
For example, for a single adult living in shared accommodation, this is 460 euros per month, as the Interior Ministry explains.
For a single adult living in the anchor center, it would be just under 134 euros per month.
The amount is lower here because there is communal catering.
Just a little cash
The card does not change the amount of benefits granted - only that the refugees no longer receive them as cash, but as credit on the payment card, according to the Interior Ministry.
It will be possible per person to withdraw up to 50 euros per month in cash.
The asylum seeker should be able to shop where card payments are not (yet) possible, according to a spokesman for the Ministry of the Interior when asked.
Examples include small snack bars or school break sales.
In principle, the cards can be used wherever card payments are accepted.
However, the card cannot be used in certain areas, such as money transfer services or for transfers abroad.
The card should be designed to be free of discrimination and stigmatization.
Also interesting:
“Predicament in a task that is practically no longer solvable”: Tent erected for refugees at the district office
Also read:
Asylum reunification: Place has to accept family and wants to legally defend itself against it
You can find even more current news from the Fürstenfeldbruck district at Merkur.de/Fürstenfeldbruck.