- "Zeitenwende": VdK calls for reform of the welfare state
The VdK, a social association, has called for a "turning point" in the social state. Without comprehensive reform, the risk of growing old-age poverty cannot be addressed, the VdK state association in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) announced in Düsseldorf.
Currently, employees would have to work full-time and earn a hourly wage of 14.56 euros to secure a pension at the level of basic security. However, the minimum wage, the most important instrument against old-age poverty, is only 12.41 euros.
In the future, civil servants, the self-employed, and politicians should also contribute to the statutory pension to stabilize it, the VdK demanded. Elderly people often have to earn additional income in retirement, which is not possible for sick people. The state government must finally present its announced action plan against poverty. Approximately one in four children in NRW is poor. The child basic security must be implemented.
Reform of the long-term care insurance
With a monthly self-payment of 3,200 euros for a place in a nursing home, NRW is the sad leader. "Care makes you poor. More and more people are sliding into social assistance because of it," said VdK President Horst Vöge. Not without reason, the social assistance costs in NRW in the area of care have increased by 23 percent within a year.
"We demand a real reform of the long-term care insurance, in which home residents only have to pay the costs for accommodation and catering. That would be 1,215 euros in NRW," said Vöge. Similar to daycare places, there should be a legal claim to day and short-term care. The number of people in need of care in NRW has almost doubled since 2013, to almost 1.2 million.
The VdK NRW has more than 415,000 members - almost 50 percent more than ten years ago. Its lawyers reportedly won almost 47 million euros in back payments for members in the social courts in NRW last year - 43 million euros in one-time payments and 3.6 million euros in monthly additional payments.
The VdK advocates for a significant shift in social policy, recognizing that comprehensive reform is necessary to combat the rising issue of old-age poverty. To address this matter, they propose extending statutory pension contributions to civil servants, self-employed individuals, and politicians.
Recognizing the financial burden of long-term care, the VdK demands a reform of the long-term care insurance, suggesting that home residents should only pay for accommodation and catering, thereby alleviating financial stress.
