Saarland: No increase in citizen’s allowance next year

Citizens' allowance recipients will not receive any more money next year. Federal Labor Minister Heil (SPD) cited the fall in inflation as the main reason. In Saarland, almost 83,000 citizens' allowance recipients are affected by the freeze.

After the significant increases in previous years, there will be no increase in the citizen's allowance for around 5.5 million adults and children next year. Federal Labor Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD) justified this on Wednesday with the calculation method, which takes prices and wages into account. According to this, the citizen's allowance of 563 euros per month should actually be reduced by 24 euros because inflation was overestimated.

This is clear from a draft of the regulation, which the Reuters news agency has seen. However, a protective clause prevents any cuts. According to the employment agency, around 82,700 people in Saarland currently receive citizen's allowance. This includes 59,900 people who are able to work and 22,800 people who are not able to work, such as children or sick people.

Inflation has fallen significantly

The freeze had already become apparent at the end of last year. The legal mechanism is such that “there will be no increase in citizens' income on January 1,” said Heil. “And that is right.” He pointed out that inflation had recently fallen to 1.9 percent.

At the same time, he anticipated criticism from the Union and FDP. “This is the legal mechanism that we, by the way, decided on across party lines – CDU, CSU, FDP, Greens, SPD – in the Bundestag,” said the SPD politician, referring to the citizen's allowance, which was introduced in 2023. The property protection clause was also introduced at that time.

Benefits rarely reduced

Heil, however, insisted that recipients of citizen's allowance comply with their duty to cooperate. It is not a question of suspecting everyone of laziness. However, if someone is chronically absent from their appointments, there must be restrictions. However, this only affects a small proportion of recipients of citizen's allowance. In Saarland, for example, just under 400 people – or around 0.7 percent of those entitled to benefits who are able to work – recently had their benefits reduced.

Social association criticizes zero-round

The minister also announced an improved exchange of data between the job centers and the customs authorities' illegal employment control. The federal government had already announced stricter rules for the granting of citizens' allowance when presenting the draft budget for the coming year.

The German Social Association has criticized the freeze on the citizen's allowance. From the association's point of view, the announcement by Labor Minister Heil lacks insight into the realities of life for those affected. Poverty is part of everyday life for many people in Germany. The fact that a freeze on the citizen's allowance is now threatened is due to the current calculation formula for standard needs. The formula goals only aim to reduce the amount of standard needs and not to determine the actual need. A new procedure is therefore needed.

The SR info news reported on this topic on the radio on September 4, 2024.

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