The SPD plans to increase the pressure on recipients of the citizen’s allowance to take up regular work. For example, if you work illegally, you will not receive any citizen’s allowance for two months, as the Bild newspaper reports.
According to a report, the SPD wants to drastically punish fraud on citizens’ income, for example through illegal work.
As the Bild newspaper reports, citing party circles, recipients of citizen’s allowance who are caught doing illegal work will have their state benefits temporarily withdrawn.
Rent payments should not be suspended
Just as with sanctions for total objectors, the standard rate will not be paid for two months. This is intended to increase the pressure on those receiving citizen’s allowance to take up regular work.
According to the report, rent payments will continue to be covered in order to prevent homelessness.
As Bild further writes, both Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Federal Labor Minister Hubertus Heil and SPD Chairman Lars Klingbeil are behind the plan, which is also part of the ongoing negotiations for the 2025 federal budget.
Lindner demands Improvements
Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner of the FDP is also said to be aware of the proposal. In view of the difficult budget discussions for 2025, he has also called for improvements to the citizen’s allowance.
“In view of practical experience, the expectations regarding the citizen’s allowance have not all been fulfilled,” Lindner told the Rheinische Post against the backdrop of an increase in the cost of the citizen’s allowance.
“Some people seem to have misunderstood the citizen’s allowance as a form of unconditional basic income.” But that is not what it is meant to be. “Those who claim social benefits should make an effort to get back into work,” said Lindner.