More and more Saxons dependent on basic income support in old age
The number of Saxons who are dependent on basic income support in old age has continued to rise. After 12,755 in 2021, 16,335 people claimed this assistance last year, according to the state government's response to a minor question from Susanne Schaper, social policy spokesperson for the Left Party parliamentary group. "It is doubtful that this reflects the full extent of poverty in old age, as the DIW already pointed out years ago that around 60 percent of people do not claim the benefit," explained Schaper on Sunday in Dresden. DIW stands for German Institute for Economic Research.
Schaper repeated her call for poverty pensions to be topped up and for lump-sum payments if necessary. No pension should be less than 1,200 euros net.
All people who have exceeded the standard retirement age and whose income is not sufficient to cover their living costs receive basic old-age security.
The rising number of Saxons relying on basic income support in old age raises concerns about poverty among the elderly. According to Schaper, only around 40% of elderly individuals in need actually claim this benefit, suggesting a potential underreporting of the issue.
Source: www.dpa.com
