“The state is responsible for ensuring that every child in Germany can grow up without financial worries.” This is what Verena Bentele, president and Bavarian state chairwoman of the social association VdK, says. She repeatedly intervenes critically in the ongoing debate about basic child welfare. A conversation with the former Munich SPD city councilor about child poverty in a rich city.
SZ: Ms. Bentele, at what point is a child considered poor in Bavaria?
Verena Bentele: A child is never poor on its own, which is why you always look at a family’s household income. If a single mother with a child under 14 in Bavaria has a net income of less than 1,649 euros, the two are considered poor. If two adults with two children under 14 have a net income of less than 2,664 euros, the family is poor. The standard rate is 318 euros for children under five years old and 348 euros for children up to 13 years old. However, in our opinion, this does not cover the real needs of a child. The VdK has long been demanding a differentiated recalculation from the federal government. Children are simply understood as little adults. With the current standard rates, families receiving citizen’s benefit don’t have enough money either way.
Can the formula also be transferred to Munich? Shouldn’t a child in this expensive city be considered poor much earlier than their peers in less affluent areas?
Yes, in Munich everyone who receives citizens’ benefit would basically need a significantly higher standard rate. The VdK therefore calls for the legal possibility of greater regionalization of standard rates, especially in metropolitan areas. The at-risk-of-poverty threshold is significantly higher in Munich than in other places. In Munich, over 265,000 people were affected by poverty in 2021, making the rate far higher than in other regions of Bavaria. In Bavaria in general it is 15.8 percent, in Munich 17 percent. Single parents and families with three or more children are most commonly affected.
Many parents at risk of poverty come to your VdK offices. What is it often about?
This is because many children do not take advantage of subsidies and services, for example for taking part in school trips, sports activities or music lessons. Parents often feel overwhelmed by the applications because they find it too complicated and they don’t always want to go to the social services when they need something. Instead, they would rather have personal contacts and that you don’t have to apply for everything yourself, but that the benefits are so high across the board that they are enough for life.
Is the number of affected people you advise increasing?
Yes, and also the problem cases that people come with. The current difficulty is often that there is not enough money for Christmas presents. The queues at the tables are getting longer and longer. The Bavarian state government has written in its coalition agreement that the food banks should be better equipped as a measure to combat poverty. I think that is a very big political failure if it seems to be the only way to combat poverty.
According to Berliner Ampel’s plans, basic child security was also intended to help reduce bureaucracy for these families. Federal Minister for Family Affairs Lisa Paus originally asked for twelve billion in money, but in the end it only came to 2.4 billion. You criticize the template and implementation, why?
Because there is no real simplification for people. We see from families that it is very important that there is a point of contact, that there is personal advice and opportunities to access the service easily. In the future, too, you will have to turn to different places. If parents receive social benefits, they still have to go to the job center, for example.
How can child poverty be structurally counteracted?
With a well-made basic child welfare system that particularly focuses on poorer families. It needs a flat-rate and automatic payout. It must also provide the most support to those who need it most. Today it is the case that parents who earn a lot of money are supported more by tax allowances than families who cannot use tax allowances. And they also get better advice because, unlike poorer families, they are able to use digital options because they have the devices for it and the skills and knowledge about it. It would be particularly important for non-privileged families to expand the advisory structure.
What does poverty do to children?
It has an enormous impact on future lives when children grow up with renunciation and the constant feeling of not belonging. This is a huge psychological burden and prevents them from developing good self-confidence and developing their own potential. An example: At the VdK we hear again and again that children cannot issue or accept birthday invitations and are therefore excluded in class or kindergarten. Birthday parties cost money. And you need space. If you have a cramped apartment, this is also difficult.
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