“Social benefits are not a pension”
Lindner wants to ignite job turbo for all recipients of citizen’s benefit
January 30, 2024, 7:42 a.m
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According to Finance Minister Lindner, “citizens’ money” is a “hot topic”. According to the FDP leader, it is help in an emergency and not a pension. For this reason, the job turbo would have to be extended to all recipients of social benefits. You should be able to work your way out of receiving benefits “step by step”.
Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner wants to get those receiving citizen’s money into work more quickly. The FDP politician spoke in the “Rheinische Post” in favor of extending the so-called job turbo to all recipients of citizen’s benefit for faster labor market integration of refugees from Ukraine. This would mean, among other things, closer contact with the job centers.
On the other hand, better additional income opportunities are needed. Anyone who receives social benefits and works should not have as much of their earnings taken into account. “It must be possible to work your way out of receiving benefits step by step,” said Lindner.
The finance minister described citizens’ money as a “hot topic”. “It must be more strongly enforced in practice that citizens’ money is not a pension, but rather a help in times of need,” emphasized Lindner. The standard rate “now tends to be too high.” The calculation of the standard rate follows statistics, but the development of inflation was overestimated. Lindner therefore reiterated his forecast that there could be a zero round of citizens’ money in 2025.
At the beginning of the year, citizens’ money had increased by an average of around twelve percent compared to 2023. For single people, this means an increase of 61 to 563 euros per month. Adults who live with a partner receive 506 euros. For children and young people, the rates are between 357 and 471 euros, depending on age.