Since the BAG-SB raised the alarm, the Federal Ministry of Finance also reacted immediately and published a corresponding notice on its website that the energy price flat rate cannot be attached as wages.
However, according to the BAG-SB, this is not enough to offer legal security for over-indebted citizens. Because if the account is seized instead of wages, then the EPP is gone too.
In an emergency, this means that courts have to decide whether the debtors are allowed to keep the money or not. “Many shy away from going to court, others don’t know that this possibility of release exists and many don’t dare to go to debt counseling either.”according to the BAG-SG
Such citizens could therefore face an electricity or gas blackout if they can no longer pay the bills. In an emergency, this means spending a winter in a cold apartment.