The federal government decided on a large, third relief package at the weekend. This includes many individual measures. FOCUS online shows who benefits from what relief and how much more you end up having in your wallet.
The federal government is paying 65 billion euros for the third relief package this year. This includes more than ten individual measures. They are divided into one-off aid such as a one-off payment for pensioners and students, temporary measures such as a reduction in sales tax on natural gas, early relief such as the complete tax exemption from pension contributions and the implementation of laws that were agreed in the coalition agreement anyway – such as the replacement of Hartz IV through a citizen’s allowance and the increase in child benefit and child allowance.
It is not so easy to calculate how much more money the package will give you in the end. Some measures apply immediately, others only from January. Some are already quantified to the euro, others only formulated as vague plans. For example, it is not yet possible to estimate how the plans to change the income tax tariff or the planned electricity price brake will affect household income. In addition, many measures are tailored to very special life situations. It depends to a large extent on where you live and your exact income situation as to whether you are entitled to housing benefit and therefore benefit from the heating cost subsidy for housing benefit recipients. The extension of the home office flat rate only benefits those who have a corresponding arrangement with their employer.
Nevertheless, we have tried to calculate the possible savings for you. 17 different scenarios are taken into account – the effects on singles, couples without children and families with two children for today’s Hartz IV recipients, households from the lower middle class, the middle class, the upper middle class and the upper class, as well as those living alone and as couples living pensioners. You are considered part of the lower middle class if your household net income is in the top 70 percent of the comparison group, middle class from 50 percent, upper middle class from 30 percent and upper class in the top ten percent. The values for this come from IW Cologne.
For the individual measures, we have always made the most favorable assumption for you, for example that you make full use of the home office flat rate, are entitled to housing benefit, receive the full child allowance and are a student. In reality, the savings for you will probably be lower, although you can also estimate this using the table. For gas consumption, we have calculated an average consumption of 160 kWh per year and square meter, the average apartment sizes are estimated according to information from the Federal Statistical Office.
The result shows that the relief package will be received very differently by the population. The range goes from 588 euros to 2285 euros per year. In general, single people benefit the least. This is due to the fact that they use the least gas, have no children and their income is lower anyway. The only exception are young and/or student singles who are entitled to housing benefit and/or have a midi job with a gross salary of less than 2000 euros per month. You benefit from the heating cost subsidy for housing benefit recipients and the expansion of midi-job relief.
At the top, families with children post the biggest gains. Here the child benefit increase of 18 euros each for the first two children has a full impact. Due to the higher average household income of two earners, savings for the relief of pension contributions are also highest here. In addition, families have the highest gas consumption and therefore benefit the most from the reduction in sales tax.
The benefits are progressive. The higher a family’s income, the more money they will have in their wallets thanks to the relief package. Only two measures correct this in favor of the poorest families in the country. Today’s Hartz IV recipients will receive up to 1592 euros more per year thanks to the new citizen’s allowance. Families with an income at the lower end of the wage scale are the only ones to benefit from the increased child allowance, among other things. There could also be a few housing benefit recipients – which is not taken into account in the table – who then receive the one-time subsidy of up to 740 euros.
Relative to income, pensioners are also among the biggest beneficiaries of the relief package. However, this has to be restricted. One reason for this is the one-off payment of 300 euros. All working people have already received this through an earlier relief package, so the federal government is only following suit for pensioners. Lowering sales tax on gas will help retirees because, on average, they live in larger apartments than younger people. There are likely to be many housing benefit recipients, especially among poorer pensioners, who will benefit from the heating subsidy.
The FOCUS Online Guide answers all important questions about pensions on 135 pages. Plus 65 pages of forms.
Other measures that are difficult to calculate would have to be included in the overall calculation. A continuation of the 9-euro ticket – regardless of the price at the end – could further relieve commuters. Not increasing the CO2 tax at the turn of the year could have a positive effect on fuel prices, albeit to a small extent. In the case of the electricity price brake and the income tax, the exact elaboration must be awaited.
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