Family support only for the rich?

Family support: High earners are preferred

03/12/2015

The minimum adjustments in German family support, which was drafted by Federal Finance Minister Schäuble in a bill, do not go far enough for the Bündnis Kindergrundsicherung. The union of associations and scientists, who has been working for a paradigm shift in family support since 2009, demands „a fair and transparent family, social and tax policy overall concept“, be better supported by socially disadvantaged families.

Bündnis Kindergrundsicherung calls for fair and transparent family support
The adjustments envisaged in Schäuble's bill, according to the Alliance, further aggravate the equity problem in family support. It is planned to increase the child allowance, which exempts the subsistence level of the child. Later this year, it will increase by 144 euros and in 2016 by another 96 euros. The child allowance is to be increased by four euros and in 2016 by another two euros. As a result, ordinary and low-income earners benefited much less from the child benefit than those who paid the high-wage and the child's allowance, reports the Alliance.

„The proposed increase of the child supplement by 20 euros from mid-2016 is an important and long overdue measure. The child supplement, however, requires a fundamental transformation in order to really prevent poverty“, it says in a statement of the Alliance. It also lacks an adjustment of the discharge amount for single parents.

The Alliance calls for a complete transformation of family support „with a socially just basic child welfare of 536 euros per month, which summarizes a variety of benefits, is based on the tax subsistence level and the income of the parents is measured. This is fair and transparent family support“. (Ag)

Picture: Alexandra H.