"Earlier this month Germany's federal coalition government moved forward with plans for a sweeping Bürgergeld reform, which would see harsher sanctions, including the complete withdrawal of housing support, applied to recipients who fail to meet certain obligations. This would mean the removal a fundamental safety net for many who rely on the benefit to secure and maintain housing, potentially leading to more evictions and an increase in homelessness."
"The welfare organisations also warned the reforms could make landlords more reluctant to rent to welfare recipients, further restricting access to affordable housing in an already tight market. READ ALSO: Who will be affected by Germany's Bürgergeld reform? The letter adds that depriving people of their homes strips them of security, dignity, and prospects for stability, a situation described as morally unjustifiable."
An alliance of welfare organisations including Sozialverband Deutschland (SoVD), Diakonie, Deutscher Mieterbund and Verdi has called on the Bundestag to halt planned welfare reforms. The proposed changes to the citizen's income benefit (Bürgergeld) would introduce harsher sanctions and could allow the complete withdrawal of housing support for recipients who fail to meet obligations. Removing housing support would strip a fundamental safety net, risk evictions, and increase homelessness, especially among families with children, pregnant women and people with disabilities. Landlords may become more reluctant to rent to welfare recipients, further restricting access to affordable housing. Official figures show nearly 475,000 people were recorded as homeless in January 2025, an 8% increase year-on-year.
Read at The Local Germany
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