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Germany: Increase in Hartz IV and family allowance from 2022

This is how much Hartz IV and family allowance will increase from 2022.

3 euro more

From 2022, people receiving Hartz IV benefit in Germany will receive three euros more per month. For singles, it will increase from 446 to 449 euros. Spouses and partners will receive 404 euro.

2 euro more for the little ones

The family allowance will also be increased, but only by EUR 2. This means that from 2022 the rate for children up to 5 years old will be increased from EUR 283 to EUR 285 per month. For children aged 6 to 13, the new rate will increase from € 309 to € 311 / month.

For children aged 14 to 17 and persons aged 18 to 24, the rate will increase by EUR 3 to EUR 376 and EUR 360 respectively.

Harsh criticism from some politicians

Susanne Ferschl (Die Linke) has strongly criticized the € 3 increase in unemployment benefit. “A paltry three-euro hike in standard rates a month is little more than a handout,” she said, and called for an increase in the standard Hartz IV rate to € 658 as an “immediate measure”.

Katrin Göring-Eckardt (Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen) described the raise as “irresponsible” and Sven Lehmann from the same group called for a wage increase of at least 50 euros.

Criticism from trade unions and associations

The German Federation of Trade Unions (DGB) and the social association VdK also criticized the new Hartz IV rates. “The planned increase of just three euros is well below the price development,” said DGB board member Anja Piel in an interview with the Funke media group newspaper. The calculation takes into account the price level in the second half of 2020, which was exceptionally low due to the lower VAT.

VdK chairwoman Verena Bentele said the government is once again restricting those “least able to defend themselves”. A temporary tax cut that was meant to be a relief would be “a great financial loss for those affected” by including it in the Hartz IV rate calculation.

In the regular annual adjustment of the base rates, in addition to wages and salaries, first and foremost price developments are taken into account. The federal government bases its calculations on a fictitious basket of goods and services it believes are essential to maintaining a level of subsistence.

source: Tagesschau.de