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Ukrainian war refugees did not count the car as part of their assets when it came to social security. The cantons therefore asked the refugees to sell their cars if they wanted to continue receiving social assistance. But that can hardly be implemented, as is now evident.
War refugees from Ukraine have so far had individual privileges when it comes to social assistance. The authorities initially did not count the car as an asset to social security. This unequal treatment was controversial, which is why the cantons changed their recommendations at the end of last year.
Ukrainians should now have to sell their cars if they want to continue receiving social assistance. These stricter rules for Ukrainian welfare recipients with a car have been in effect for several months. And since then, the social authorities have been taking a closer look.
Affected defend themselves against car sales
The Bernese authorities have not yet ordered a car sale, says Gundekar Giebel from the canton’s social department. Around a dozen cases are pending, however, because many of those affected would resist a sale.
“Documents are presented showing that the vehicles belong to someone in Ukraine or that they are leased. It’s really difficult,” says Giebel. Several of those affected also brought their car back to Ukraine after the social welfare office reported it.
Survey: So far no car sold
Radio SRF asked seven larger cantons and cities. No authority reports that a car has already been sold. Almost all, however, examine some cases. The canton of Vaud is the most active. There, the social authorities are considering selling a car for almost 50 refugees.
Very few vehicles are worth so much that it is worth selling the car in Switzerland.
However, almost all the bodies contacted report major practical difficulties. If a car actually belongs to the welfare recipient himself, there is usually another problem, says the Basel-Stadt asylum coordinator, Renata Gäumann. “Very few vehicles are worth so much that it is worth selling the car in Switzerland.”
The value of the car would have to exceed the asset allowance for the size of the household, says Gäumann, “and in most cases that is not the case. These are not luxury cars.”
Equal treatment in social assistance difficult
The canton of Geneva has already stopped sales because the respective cars were not worth enough. In practice, it is difficult to treat Ukrainian war refugees in the same way as local people on social security when it comes to cars.
Gäumann from the canton of Basel-Stadt summed up that it was right to try anyway. However, it is also important to “examine each individual case with a sense of proportion. And the decisions must be in a healthy proportion,” says Gäumann.
It is becoming apparent that there will only be a few forced sales. Meanwhile, the cantons estimate that at most one in ten Ukrainian households in Switzerland has a car. The car discussion thus affects only a minority of Ukrainian war refugees.