If recipients of citizen’s money do not follow the rules of the game, there are already sanctions. These will be made even stricter in the future. But now an exception has been proposed for certain households.
Breach of duty or failure to report often already leads to a reduction in citizens’ benefits. In the future it should new basic security, even tougher sanctions provide. The problem: When parents’ benefits are cut, children often suffer.
On average in 2024, almost 16,800 minors were affected by sanctions in this way. The Ministry of Labor announced this in response to a written request from the Green Party. A year ago there were almost 5,400 fewer children.
Sanctions were imposed in 8,300 households in which minor children also live, including 3,700 single parents. On average, citizens’ benefits were reduced by 63 euros per month.
Exception for cuts in citizen’s allowance required
Against this background, the Greens are very critical of the planned tightening of basic security. From one “Accelerant for child poverty” is the talk.
The parliamentary group vice-president Misbah Khan told the German Press Agency: “When families are sanctioned, children bear the consequenceseven though they bear no responsibility for their parents’ situation.”
The Greens’ central demand:
Households with children should be exempt from citizens’ money sanctions.
The Ministry of Labor sees it differently. Children and young people are considered to be fully protected if a parent sanctions them. Reason: The sanctions only affect the standard needs of the person who does not follow the rules; the money for the children and any other family members is paid in full. Besides, there is Exceptions for special cases of hardship.
The Bundestag is currently discussing the basic security reform presented by the Union and the SPD. The federal government wants to significantly tighten the rules for recipients. Example: If someone misses two appointments at the job center, the basic security for one month should be reduced by 30 percent.
If three appointments are missed, the transfers should be stopped completely. However, the authorities should give those affected the opportunity to be heard in person. Mentally ill people should be spared from the measures.
In addition, the new basic security should be immediately reduced by 30 percent for three months if an unemployed person does not write any applications or rejects remedial courses. Then you will receive around 150 euros less per month.
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