heating costs
Rising energy prices: Association of cities wants higher subsidies
“We are seeing an explosion in energy prices, especially for gas,” says Städtebund general manager Gerd Landsberg. Photo: David Ebener / dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
The city federation and consumer advocates are concerned about the rising prices for energy. How should financially weak families pay for that?
In view of the rising prices for electricity, gas and petrol, the Association of Towns and Municipalities is demanding higher heating cost subsidies for low-income earners from the federal government.
“We are seeing an explosion in energy prices, especially for gas. It is clear that energy should not only be something for the rich. The next federal government is therefore called upon to support financially weak families in particular and to mitigate the explosion in heating costs, ”said the association’s general manager Gerd Landsberg of the“ Bild ”newspaper.
Landsberg also warned of higher costs for the municipalities. The sharp rise in gas prices would “hit many municipalities hard – through higher energy costs for buildings and higher heating cost subsidies for Hartz IV recipients”. According to him, the municipalities expect a deficit of between 8 and 8.5 billion euros this year. It could be similarly high next year.
The board of directors of the Federal Association of Consumer Organizations, Klaus Müller, is also concerned about the rising energy and petrol prices. If the increase continues unchecked, there is a threat of a “dramatic social imbalance”, he told the “Tagesspiegel”. The president of the social association VdK, Verena Bentele, spoke out in favor of adjusting the housing allowance for people with low incomes to the rising energy costs every year. In view of the immense price increases for energy, the state must create social compensation for low-income people.