- One in nine households paid for housing
Tens of thousands of recipients of citizen's income are paying extra for rent and heating costs because their accommodation is not considered adequate. Last year, this affected roughly one in nine households receiving citizen's income, as revealed in the response from the Federal Government to a query by the Left party in the Bundestag. On average, they had to pay an extra €103 out of their own pocket each month.
In principle, housing costs, i.e., rent and heating, should be covered by the state for citizen's income recipients, but only if they are deemed adequate. For this, rent and the size of the accommodation must not exceed certain regionally defined limits. Those living in accommodation that is too large are urged to move or, for example, to sublet a room.
Social associations: Many rent limits unrealistic
Social associations have long criticized that many rent limits are unrealistic. Often, those affected have no chance of finding a cheaper apartment. They have to pay increasingly higher amounts - and then the money is lacking for food, clothing, and education. "Those who manage to get a flat in inner cities with citizen's income have to pay extra and save it from their mouths," said the Left party MP Caren Lay to the German Press Agency.
Last year, according to the Federal Ministry of Labour, almost 320,000 citizen's income households did not receive full reimbursement of their housing costs. They had to pay an average of around €111 per month out of their own pocket for rent - more than one fifth of the costs. Those who had to pay extra for heating paid around €55 out of their own pocket per month. Households with children had to pay the most - an average of around €124 each month.
Highest additional payments in Berlin
Regionally, there are significant differences. The highest proportion of citizen's income households with additional payments was last seen in Rhineland-Palatinate (17 percent), followed by Baden-Württemberg (15 percent), Saarland (14.5 percent), and Lower Saxony (14 percent). Citizen's income recipients in Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Bremen had to pay the least extra, where there are still relatively many affordable apartments.
Citizen's income households in Berlin had to pay the highest additional amounts. They had to pay an average of almost €160 out of their own pocket each month and were left with more than one fifth of their housing costs.
Despite the introduction of a grace period, the housing cost gap has widened again last year, complained the Left party MP Heidi Reichinnek. Since the introduction of citizen's income, the cold rent of new recipients is not checked for adequacy for a year, but is always fully covered.
Long-term recipients, including many single parents, carers, and top-up recipients, are left to fend for themselves, said Reichinnek. "They still have to make up the shortfall from the basic rate, which is supposed to be for food and clothing. I find that intolerable." The cost limits should be raised so that a flat can be rented and heated with them.
The Federal Parliament was questioned by the Left party regarding the high extra costs faced by citizen's income recipients for rent and heating, as many of their accommodations were deemed inadequate by the Federal Government. Despite the regionally defined limits set by the state for housing costs coverage, many citizen's income households are still struggling to find affordable accommodation.
