Electricity and energy prices reached new record levels in 2021.
(Photo: dpa)
Berlin Because of the high energy prices, recipients of housing benefit should receive an increased subsidy for heating costs in the summer. The new Federal Ministry of Construction is currently working on a corresponding draft law, which is to be passed by the Federal Cabinet on January 26th.
This emerges from the federal government’s project planning, which is available to the Handelsblatt. A ministry spokeswoman confirmed the cabinet schedule for the Handelsblatt. A date for the end of January is being sought, it said when asked.
The spokeswoman gave no information about the amount of the planned one-time grant. The ministry had already announced in December that the money would arrive in the accounts in the summer, in time for the utility bills with the heating costs for the winter.
Germany’s top consumer advocate, Klaus Müller, welcomed the fact that “the federal government is taking the energy price crisis seriously and wants to approve the heating subsidy for those receiving housing benefit as soon as possible”.
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“Nobody is allowed to freeze in winter because they cannot pay their bills,” said the head of the German Consumer Association (VZBV) to the Handelsblatt. The goal must therefore be that the subsidy is paid out to households with low incomes during the heating season.
The government must clarify the allocation of the carbon price
Electricity and energy prices reached new record levels in 2021. At the turn of the year, many energy providers increased their prices significantly. For households that heat with oil and gas – and that is still the majority in Germany – it will be expensive. Low wage earners could face existential problems.
The traffic light coalition had therefore stipulated in the coalition agreement that they not only wanted to end the financing of the EEG surcharge, which is supposed to promote the expansion of renewable energies, through the electricity price. The SPD, Greens and FDP also want to strengthen housing benefits and introduce a climate component. In addition, there should be “a short-term one-time increased heating cost subsidy”.
The grant is part of the housing benefit paid to low-income households. VZBV boss Müller called for further relief. “The traffic light coalition must introduce climate money at short notice and regulate the relationship between landlords and tenants more fairly with a view to CO2 pricing. That would quickly and noticeably relieve consumers, ”he said.
The federal government introduced CO2 pricing for the heating and transport sectors in 2021. This makes the consumption of fossil heating and fuel more expensive and the use of climate-friendly technologies such as heat pumps more worthwhile. The price for one ton of CO2 emissions was 25 euros last year and has been increased to 30 euros for 2022.
The question of whether landlords have to bear at least part of the additional costs caused by the CO2 price has so far remained open. According to the coalition agreement, the traffic light plans to present a solution by the middle of the year.
A “step model according to building energy classes” is to be introduced. If this does not succeed in terms of time, the additional costs for the landlord and tenant should be split in half.
More: Rising construction costs, inefficient building stock: These are the problems that Minister Geywitz faces