STORY: The third relief package agreed by the heads of the traffic light coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP is to include measures with a volume of over 65 billion euros. This emerges from the 13-page coalition resolution published on Sunday. In order to relieve households of electricity prices, the traffic light coalition wants to introduce an electricity price brake for basic consumption. In this way, private households can be credited with a certain amount of electricity at a discounted price. Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the government wanted to ensure that gas, oil and coal prices fell for consumers. Income from the excess profit levy, for example, will also be used for this. As of December 1, 2022, pensioners will receive a new energy price flat rate of 300 euros. For students there should be a one-off payment of 200 euros. Hartz IV will be converted into citizen income on January 1, 2023 and increased to a standard rate of around 500 euros by taking inflation into account more quickly. As a concrete relief measure, the entitlement to housing benefit is to be extended to two million people from the current 640,000. The inflation-driven cold tax progression is to be reduced by changing the tariff curve. Child benefit will be increased by 18 euros for the first and second child on January 1st. In addition, the federal government is prepared to provide the federal states with an additional 1.5 billion euros annually for a nationwide local transport ticket if the federal states add at least the same amount. It is about a successor to the 9-euro ticket. According to Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner, the federal government can finance the third relief package without additional new debt.