It’s relatively warm outside for January. “But many people are worried about whether they can afford to turn up their heating when it gets colder,” says Mayor Verena Dietl (SPD). In order to help Munich residents who only have a low income, there is an annual flat rate of 700 euros for single people and 300 euros each for other household members.
The money from this 20 million euro heat fund from Stadtwerke München (SWM) can be given to people who receive housing benefit or child allowance, have the gray Munich Passport or have a monthly net income that is below the Munich poverty risk threshold of 1540 euros for single people. Recipients of student loans or vocational training grants can also apply for help if they run their own household. People who receive citizen money, social assistance or benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act are not entitled, as the heating costs are also covered as part of the state support services.
The heat fund will start on time, said the mayor, applications can be made from Monday, January 16th. “People who are now receiving their bills and new advance payments and can no longer pay their heating costs receive support quickly and unbureaucratically,” explained Dietl. She expects that 10,000 to 20,000 households could receive benefits from the heat fund.
The application form consists of six pages plus three pages of help
In order not to make the applications too complicated and to enable a quick payment, a lump sum should be paid out per household, explained social officer Dorothee Schiwy (SPD). The payments would be recorded in a database to rule out double payments. The application form consists of six pages plus three pages of help. It’s about one dedicated website to retrieve. The 32 offices to date where the lump sum can be applied for will then also be listed there. This includes many facilities of the independent welfare organizations and all twelve social community centres. The spokeswoman for the associations, Julia Sterzer (Arbeiterwohlfahrt), was convinced that people can be offered concrete and uncomplicated help if they cannot afford the high heating costs.
Information is available by telephone from the energy advice hotline of the Diakonie Munich and Upper Bavaria on 089/126991-5150 from Monday, January 9 (Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.). SWM project manager Martin Janke assured that the public utilities will include information on the heat fund in the annual accounts and will gradually make it available in additional languages as well as in simpler language. “Videos should also create easy access.” Because despite the price limit decided by the federal government, a doubling of heating costs is to be expected.
The application must be made in person. Previously, the application should be downloaded from the website, printed out and filled out. If you are unable to print out the application, you can also get the application from one of the contact points and fill it out there together with the heat fund officer. In principle, the applicant must be the recipient of the heating bill. When you apply, you must bring along proof of consumption, such as the annual bill in the form of ancillary cost bills, consumption bills or receipts for payments on account, as well as proof of income. There is no income check for holders of the gray Munich Pass or for those receiving housing benefit or child allowance.
In addition to the two-year heat fund, the city has already created other voluntary services such as an electricity cost subsidy.