Majority of Germans Favor Curtailing Benefits for Some Welfare Recipients: INSA Survey
Berlin – A new INSA survey conducted for Bild reveals broad public support for stricter regulations regarding social welfare benefits, notably concerning individuals perceived to be exploiting the system. the poll indicates a meaningful majority of Germans favor removing benefits from those who obtainโฃ nominal employment solelyโ to qualify for state aid, and from those living in overcrowded, substandard housingโ while receiving financial assistance.
The findings come as Federal Minister ofโข Labor and Social affairs Hubertus Heil prepares to implement reformsโ to the “Bรผrgergeld” (citizen’s income) program, aiming to address perceived loopholes and reduce costs. The debate centers on concerns that some individuals, particularly thoseโ from Bulgaria and Romania, โขare securing โminimal-wage employment contracts -โค sometimes as low โฃas โฌ100 perโ month – to then claim citizen’s income andโ housing โขbenefits from theโ state.
the survey highlights public frustration with what is seen as an exploitative practice involving inflated rental costs. Reports suggest landlords are accommodating aโ large number of โคbenefit recipients in small apartments,chargingโ high rents per square meterโ – up to โฌ100 per square โmeter in some cases – โwhile authorities currentlyโ only assessโ the reasonableness of rentโ forโข single-person dwellings,not the actual living conditions or per-person costs.โ Minister Heil has announced plans to address this, proposing measures including aโ municipal cap on housing costs.
The potential savings from the Bรผrgergeld โฃreform are subject to differing estimates. CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann anticipates savings in the “billions of euros,” stating, “No one can predict the number precisely. โBut the goal must be to save money โwith the reform.I am confident that several billion euros can be saved. Crucially, we must create a new sense of fairness and quickly reintegrate people into the workforce.”
Though,Minister Bas downplayed expectations of considerable savings from stricter sanctions,emphasizing that the primaryโ goal is to increaseโ employment. “We โagree that savings inโฃ basic securityโ will primarily be achieved when we get more people into work with the reform. For that, we need economic growth above all,” she told Bild.
According to the Ministry of Labour,โ reducing the number of โคBรผrgergeld recipients by 100,000 would equate to annual savingsโ of approximately one billion euros. โThe success ofโ the reform, therefore, hinges on a significant increase in employment opportunities.
