Number of recipients of asylum seeker benefits increases
Compared to the previous year, the number of recipients of asylum seeker benefits will increase by 21% in 2022. This can be explained, among other things, by the high number of Ukrainian war refugees. However, they do not make up the largest group of asylum seekers.
The number of foreigners receiving benefits as asylum seekers in Germany rose significantly last year. Around 482,300 people were receiving standard benefits under the Asylum Seekers' Benefits Act at the end of 2022, which was 21% or around 84,000 people more than a year earlier, according to the Federal Statistical Office.
One reason for the increase is the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine: at the end of 2022, around 40,000 asylum seekers were Ukrainian, accounting for eight percent of the total. According to the figures, the majority of those entitled to benefits came from Asia (52%), Europe (29%) and Africa (16%). The most common countries of origin were Syria (13%), Afghanistan (12%) and Iraq (11%). The majority of the people - 63 percent - were men, 37 percent were women. Just under a third were minors, 67 percent were between 18 and 64 years old and two percent were older.
Standard benefits, special benefits and exceptional cases in Ukraine
Standard benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act include basic benefits to cover personal needs on the one hand and so-called benefits in special cases on the other. According to the Federal Office, these are paid to people who have been in Germany for 18 months without a significant interruption and have not "abusively" influenced the duration of their stay, for example by destroying identity documents or providing a false identity.
Asylum seekers can receive special benefits in addition to standard benefits, for example in the event of illness or pregnancy. At the end of 2022, 289,900 people were entitled to this, according to the Federal Office. 57,600 of them only received special benefits.
War refugees from Ukraine were initially provided for under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act after the attack on their country on February 24, 2022. Since June 2022, Ukrainians with a valid residence permit or a temporary right of residence have been integrated into the basic income support scheme under Social Code II (formerly Hartz IV, now Bürgergeld). According to the information provided, newly arrived Ukrainians will continue to receive benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act until they are granted a residence permit. At the end of 2022, 40,000 people from Ukraine were therefore receiving standard benefits under the Asylum Seekers' Benefits Act.
Read also:
- Year of climate records: extreme is the new normal
- Precautionary arrests show Islamist terror threat
- UN vote urges Israel to ceasefire
- SPD rules out budget resolution before the end of the year
Despite the increase in asylum seeker benefits due to the high number of Ukrainian war refugees, they are not the largest group of asylum seekers. As of 2022, Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq were the top three countries of origin for asylum seekers in Germany, accounting for over 36% of the total.
The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine has resulted in a significant increase in the number of asylum seekers from Ukraine, but attacks on other countries like Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq have also contributed to the growing number of asylum seekers seeking refuge in Germany.
Source: www.ntv.de
