DThe coalition government recently celebrated the achievement of reaching an agreement on the key points of the so-called child basic income. However, they still have no idea of how this project fits into the existing social welfare system beyond using appealing phrases such as „fight against child poverty“ and „simplification.“ Furthermore, they have not considered how it will affect the work of job centers.
Why else would the Federal Employment Agency, as the responsible authority, now find itself compelled to prepare such a statement in the midst of the cabinet decision? „Significant bureaucratic burden,“ „unresolved,“ „not realistic,“ implementation by January 1, 2025 „unimaginable,“ to name just a few keywords.
It seems that neither Minister Paus nor Minister Heil have delved into implementation issues so far. However, the job centers are already reaching their limit with the increasing unemployment and assistance for more and more refugee families. An ill-conceived child basic income will hinder them. This project does not reduce poverty risks, it exacerbates them.