Subsidy for heating costs, increase in the commuter allowance, abolition of the EEG surcharge: the rapidly rising energy prices are now forcing the government to act. To compensate, there should be more money from the state for the citizens, and other relief measures are also planned. The coalition factions speak of a so-called relief package. “We have agreed on ten steps and are putting together a strong package for society as a whole in difficult times,” said Green Party leader Ricarda Lang after the coalition committee.
The measures in detail: The commuter allowance is to be increased by three cents retroactively to January 1st. Recipients of basic security will receive a one-off payment of 100 euros on July 1st. A child supplement has also been agreed. An increase in the basic allowance by 363 euros should have a tax-reducing effect. Overall, the budget will be burdened with an additional seven billion euros.
The coalition partners had previously agreed on a heating subsidy. A corresponding draft law had already been debated in the Bundestag last Friday. According to this, low-income earners who have already received housing benefit in the current heating period should receive a one-time subsidy. This also applies to students and trainees if they do not live with their parents and receive support under the Federal Training Assistance Act (Bafög) or vocational training allowance (BAB), as well as for people with disabilities who receive training allowance.
According to the draft law, around 2.1 million people will benefit from the heating subsidy. Anyone who lives alone should receive a one-off payment of 135 euros. If the household consists of two people, it is 175 euros. For each additional household member, 35 euros are added. It counts how many people lived in the household in the last month of the housing benefit approval. Students, trainees and other beneficiaries receive a flat rate of 115 euros. The subsidy should not be offset against social benefits. If you receive housing benefit, you do not have to apply, you will receive the subsidy automatically. How the other beneficiaries get the money is currently still being debated.
The draft was criticized by the opposition, but also by consumer advocates. “This step is fundamentally correct, but it is far from enough,” said CDU MP Michael Breilmann on Friday at the first reading in the Bundestag. The effects of the high energy costs are felt far into the middle of society. Even middle-income people should not be left in the lurch. Linke boss Susanne Henning-Wellsow criticized that it was only a one-time help and demanded structural changes. AfD MP Sebastian Münzenmaier described the subsidy as minimal. The Federal Association of Consumer Centers considers the subsidy to be too low. At least 500 euros are appropriate.
Economics and Climate Protection Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) wants to bring forward the abolition of the EEG surcharge. It had already been agreed in the coalition agreement to abolish the levy, which is used to promote the expansion of renewable energies, in order to lower the price of electricity. That was actually planned for next year. Habeck now wants to cancel the levy on July 1st.
Climate money has also been agreed. A gradual increase in CO2 taxes is planned, but the proceeds are to be redistributed to citizens, so that people with low consumption would benefit the most. However, the concrete design of the implementation is still being worked out. “As a short-term instrument, we rely on the abolition of the EEG surcharge and other relief measures that we decided together, such as the payment of a one-time heating cost subsidy to housing benefit recipients or the introduction of a climate component in housing benefit,” said a spokesman for the Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Berliner Zeitung . Further relief for citizens is pending. “We have also agreed that the costs arising from the CO2 price in the building sector will be shared fairly between tenants and building owners in order to relieve all tenants,” said the spokesman.