The district council (Landkreistag) is supporting the plans put forward by Federal Family Minister Karin Prien (CDU) regarding reductions to the mandated maintenance allowance. The council insists that these measures must be implemented despite opposition from the SPD.
Kay Ruge, the head executive of the district council, commented to the “Rheinische Post” (Friday edition) that lowering the age limit for the payment of the allowance from 18 to 16 is a positive step. He argued that the state must have the courage to retract previous expansions of benefits if they are no longer financially sustainable.
Ruge pointed out that since the 2017 reforms, the number of children and youths eligible for the benefit has doubled, while the associated expenditure has nearly quadrupled. He stressed that parents legally obligated to provide financial support must continue to be held accountable. However, he added that the maintenance allowance should not permanently replace parental responsibility, and that the livelihoods of needy juveniles must remain protected through other social benefits.
Looking beyond the maintenance allowance, Ruge suggested that further savings are necessary across the board. He called for the federal government to steer the social welfare system back toward a permanently affordable level. As an example of necessary reform, he cited the “partially rolling back of the housing benefit reform implemented three years ago,” noting that it had been excessively costly. He concluded that the state needs to demonstrate its capacity for reform, even if that process entails difficulty.
To provide context, the maintenance allowance ensures financial support for children of single parents when the other parent fails to meet their obligations. Minister Prien plans to limit this allowance payment to the child’s 16th birthday, down from the current cap of 18.
