Berlin (dts) – 325.000 households receiving citizens’ benefit had to pay extra for accommodation and heating costs last year. This emerges from the federal government's answers to answers from left-wing politician Caren Lay, which the newspapers of the “Editorial Network Germany” (Saturday editions) report on.
Accordingly, every ninth community of need had to pay more than was covered by the job centers. On average there were an additional 107 per month. This housing cost gap was particularly large in major cities. In Munich, households paid an average of 215 euros more, in Berlin it was 201 euros and in Dresden 114 euros. In 2023, there were around 2,91 million communities of need that were entitled to cover the appropriate costs for accommodation and heating.
“The costs for accommodation and heating recognized by the job centers are too low,” said the rent and housing policy spokeswoman for the Left in the Bundestag, Caren Lay. “One in nine households that received citizen’s benefit paid additional rent in 2023 and had to save on food, clothing or education. The immense housing cost gap in the state’s livelihood security is unacceptable.”
The Bundestag member said that low-income earners would no longer be able to rent an apartment in many inner cities. “In view of skyrocketing rents, heating and energy costs, the real housing and energy costs must be permanently covered so that people do not go hungry or freeze,” demanded Lay.
