Poverty in Mönchengladbach
:
More and more pensioners are dependent on basic security
–
Many needy people in Mönchengladbach need the help of basic security in old age.
Photo: dpa/Marijan Murat
–
–
Moenchengladbach The number of pensioners who are dependent on social assistance has risen to a new peak. The city expects additional costs of 7.5 million euros – also due to the corona pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
If you don’t get enough pension to live on in old age, the city pays you a basic security. Due to the corona pandemic and the Russian war in Ukraine, significantly more Gladbachers are dependent on funds from basic security than before. The city calculates an additional 7.5 million euros for this year, which it has to pay to needy citizens for basic security in old age and in the event of reduced earning capacity. Originally, around 40 million euros were budgeted for this. According to this, almost 19 percent more funds are now needed for basic security for seniors than initially assumed. The city council is to provide the above-planned funds at its meeting on Wednesday. The approval is a formality, because the costs are fully refinanced by the federal government.
–
In Mönchengladbach, more and more people are dependent on basic security benefits. As determined by the statistical office it.NRW, 6120 people in Gladbach received basic security in 2021. That was an increase of 2.3 percent compared to 2019. For comparison: In Krefeld, the number of recipients of basic security in 2021 was 4495. In Mönchengladbach, the number of recipients of assistance who had reached the age limit increased in particular. The number of seniors who are dependent on basic security rose in 2021 by 3.1 percent to 3485. 2635 other Gladbachers were entitled to basic security in the event of reduced earning capacity.
–
Even if it is a continuous item for the city treasury (the city expects the money in February 2023), the city must first advance the funds. Around 2.5 million euros of this can be attributed to the corona pandemic as a one-off additional requirement. On the one hand, this is because people who received basic security in May 2021 will receive a one-time payment of 150 euros. And on the other hand, many smaller jobs have been lost during the pandemic, especially in gastronomy. As a result, more Gladbach seniors are dependent on basic security in old age.
–
The town hall attributes another almost 1.8 million euros in additional demand to the war in Ukraine. According to the city, Russians living in Germany can no longer realize their Russian pension entitlements: “This means that these entitlements can no longer be offset against the aid payments.” The result: the city steps in. In addition, from June 1st, Ukrainians who have fled and are entitled to basic social security will also be paid by the city, which in turn increases the number of cases.
–
But there is another item that is reflected in the bill: the sharp increase in energy costs has an impact on heating costs, which the city also has to bear.
–
–
