More assets despite Hartz IV: Black and yellow are social
Much was said in those weeks before and after the federal election of a social coldness that would break in with the black-yellow government over the Republic. And so Union and FDP were in a hurry to send a signal to their citizens on Wednesday: it should not get colder with us. On the contrary. Hartz IV recipients should be significantly improved in the future. "Fundamental injustices" wanted to eliminate, it was said after the coalition negotiations.
In concrete terms, this means the one hand Increase the so-called "protective capacity" for Hartz IV recipients, that is to say the property which is not counted towards the benefits of the unemployment benefit II. So far, this amount was 250 euros savings per year of life, which was not allowed to touch the state. A 65-year-old woman is therefore currently allowed to keep 16,250 euros, for example from a life insurance, for her old-age provision. According to the union and the FDP, this amount should now be raised to 750 euros per year of life. The 65-year-old Hartz IV recipient should therefore keep 48,750 euros from her private pension. Owner-occupied housing will be left out in the future when calculating the Hartz IV rate. The black-yellow coalition wants to prevent so above all the old age poverty.
Furthermore, it is planned Hartz IV receivers higher earnings to allow. So far, only income up to 100 euros may be earned without charge. Exact numbers have not yet been decided on this.
Especially for the long-term unemployed, these new regulations should bring reliefbecause the assets saved so far must be consumed to a much smaller extent and the monthly income can be more easily improved. As a study in this early summer found, single mothers in particular often depend heavily on unemployment benefit II for a long time: more than half of lone parents receive Hartz IV after two and a half years - on average, it is only one-third. In total, four out of ten single parents in Germany depend on Hartz IV.
What actually sounds like a warming message has already come under criticism. The German Trade Union Confederation, for example, described the resolutions as insufficient. Only a small minority of Hartz IV applicants will benefit from the change in the protective properties. Most of them did not have the corresponding reserves.
