dpa/KNA | Leaner, closer to the citizens, more transparent: the federal, state and local governments want to fundamentally reform the welfare state. This comes from the draft for “Recommendations of the commission on welfare state reformThe report is available to the German Press Agency, and “Bild”, the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” and other media also report on it in advance. The proposals are due to be submitted to the Federal Minister of Labor on Tuesday afternoon Bärbel Bas (SPD).
Central elements: Citizens’ benefit, child allowance and housing benefit should be rolled into one single social benefit system. In general, social benefits should become more quickly and easily accessible. In total, the commission made up of representatives from the federal government, states and municipal umbrella organizations formulates 26 concrete recommendations. In order to achieve the goals, she proposes “a political, legal and social effort.”
In the future, there should only be one point of contact for everyone – the job centers for those who are able to work and the social welfare offices of the municipalities for those who are not able to work. The current four authorities are to become two. Today, citizens often have to submit multiple applications for support. From the Commission’s point of view, a complete consolidation of benefit administration would be good, but would require a change to the Basic Law. According to the commission, there should not be any disadvantages in terms of specific services.
Easier services
Instead, the services should become quicker and easier to access. They should be more generalized and an obligation to provide evidence should replace extensive individual proof requirements. According to the recommendations, child benefit should in future be paid out automatically after birth.
“Consistent Digitalization” is intended as a central lever for lean processes. The commission members hope for “a digital restart of the welfare state”. A central contact and service portal should enable digital applications.
“The uniform recording of data eliminates the annoying repetition of information when changing authorities, and the procedures become significantly leaner, for example through flat rates, extended approval periods and simplified verification procedures,” promises the committee. Public finances and the labor market should also benefit. The Union and the SPD had agreed on the Welfare State Commission in their coalition agreement.
Implementation should be accelerated. It is said that many of the measures can be implemented quickly by exhausting the current constitutional framework. However, some of the proposed solutions require changes to the Basic Law. The federal, state and local governments are calling on the commission members to be determined “to boldly tackle a new start together.”
Caritas: Agreement is ambitious
“We are pleased that the Welfare State Commission has reached an ambitious agreement that is characterized by concrete proposals for simplification,” said the President of the German Caritas AssociationEva Welskop-Deffaa. “The administration will become more efficient, and social benefits will be easier to access and understand for people. This is a central prerequisite for strengthening trust in the welfare state.” When implementing the reform proposals, it must now also be ensured that the overall level of social protection is really maintained.
However, Caritas also sees critical aspects: the proposal to link the freedom of movement of EU citizens to near-full-time employment does not reflect the realities of the labor market. The association is also concerned that the cost development for integration assistance, child and youth welfare and care assistance is discussed in the commission report as if major savings were possible here. This is unrealistic in view of demographic developments and also due to inflation-related wage increases.
Unlike the Pension Commission, for example, the Commission on Welfare State Reform did not have a majority of scientists. Rather, the proposals were drawn up by state actors from the federal, state and local governments themselves. Eight federal ministries were involved, including the states of Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia and Hamburg, as well as municipal associations such as the Association of Cities.