Expenditure for livelihood assistance
In terms of the Social assistance statistics - expenditure and revenues - of the Federal Statistical Office:
Taking effect on 1 January 2005 the law of state welfare assistance hitherto regulated by the Federal Social Welfare Act (BSHG - Bundessozialhilfegesetz) has been integrated into Social Code as Book Twelve of the Social Code (SGB XII - Social Welfare) ("Zwölftes Buch Sozialgesetzgbuch - "SGB XII - Sozialhilfe"). With the restructuring especially the circle of entitled persons varies. Since then only persons, who are not able to work and who, when in need, do not get other benefits, receive Livelihood assistance in the welfare assistance according to SGB XII.
Starting from 2005: Here only the expenditure of the pure livelihood assistance according to chapter 3 SGB XII (§§ 27 to 40 SGB XII) is covered; this includes also the one-time benefits according to § 31 SGB XII.
- Current benefits
Current benefits for livelihood are especially payments, which are calculated by standard rates (§ 28 SGB XII), additional requirement allowances (§ 30 SGB XII) and costs for accommodation and heating (§ 29 SGB XII). The assistance must be provided regularly, but the length of granting does not matter. For example, the assistance, at first planned as regularly, but already stopped after one month, is a current benefit. Granted payments via loans according to §§ 37 and 38 SGB XII are also current benefits. Assistances for livelihood in special cases granted according to § 34 SGB XII can also be current services. The current benefits also include the current granted contributions for the health and nursing care insurance and provision for old age (§§ 32, 33 SGB XII). - One-time benefits for livelihood
One-time benefits for livelihood (§ 31 SGB XII) can be granted as separate payments or non-cash benefits or additionally to the current assistance.
According to § 31 Abs. 1 SGB XII one-time benefits can be granted for basic equipments for apartments including household appliances, basic equipments for clothes including for pregnancy and birth and school trips of several days within the legal school restrictions.
Until 2004 the Federal Social Welfare Act (BSHG) was basis of the state welfare assistance. "This is just the pure assistance for livelihood according to § 11 ff. BSHG, which is not associated by act of law with the assistance under particular circumstances in life. As far as assistance for livelihood (this includes also one-time benefits like clothing and Christmas benefits) is associated by act of law with permission of assistance under particular circumstances in life, the assistance for livelihood is reported under the respective assistance under particular circumstances in life."
- Current benefits (excluding assistance for work)
Current benefits for livelihood (§ 21 Abs. 1 BSHG) are especially payments, which are calculated by standard rates, additional requirement allowances and costs for accommodation. The assistance must be provided regularly, but the length of granting does not matter. For example, the assistance, at first planned as regularly, but already stopped after one month, is a current benefit. The current benefits also include current non-cash benefits granted possibly due to inefficient behaviour of the assistance recipient or for other reasons. Also payments by loan granted according to § 15b BSHG are current benefits for livelihood; loans granted according to § 15a BSHG can also be current benefits for livelihood.
As far as assistance recipients get advances for procurement or other purposes with the proviso, to finance them with future current payments, they are also reported as current benefits (e.g. advances for cellarage).
The current benefits also include the current granted contributions for the health and nursing care insurance and provision for old age (§§ 13, 14 BSHG). - Current benefits in terms of assistance for work
This includes when an opportunity for charitable work is created - the payment of the usual work salary or
- the adequate compensation for additional expenditures granted additionally to the assistance for livelihood
- one-time benefits for livelihood
one-time benefits for livelihood (§ 21 Abs. 1, 1a und 2 BSHG) are those which do not recur by nature. They can be granted as separate payments or non-cash benefits or additionally to the current assistance.
The one-time benefits for livelihood include e.g. benefits for winter heating, assistance for procurement and maintenance of clothing, furniture, linens and shoes, as far as they are not satisfied via the standard rate, Christmas benefits and benefits to cover transportation, removal and funeral costs.
Selected information about "Expenditure for livelihood assistance":
Tables:
- Social assistance, revenues and expenditure (1985-2004)
- Social assistance, expenditure and revenues starting from 2005
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