The housing benefit reduction planned by Minister of Construction Verena Hubertz (SPD) will not happen after all. This was stated by SPD General Secretary Tim Klüssendorf to Stern. The reduction originated from cost-saving requirements imposed by Finance Minister and SPD leader Lars Klingbeil.
Klüssendorf stated that the housing benefit will not be cut, calling it one of the best developments in the budget agreement. He emphasized that securing the removal of this reduction proposal during negotiations was particularly important for the SPD, so that hundreds of thousands of people burdened by exorbitant rent costs are not left behind.
Generalsekretär Klüssendorf explained that living costs continue to rise, and many people are unsure how they can meet their daily expenses. He added that reducing the housing benefit would have been a very serious mistake.
Hendrik Bollmann, the SPD parliamentary group spokesperson for housing and building policy, explained that support benefits for housing should not be arbitrarily cut until sufficient affordable housing is available. While there will be no change effective January 1, all further planned reductions have been eliminated. He told the magazine that the housing benefit is essential for people with low incomes to cover their living costs.
