German minister defends planned housing benefit cuts, citing budget needs

German Federal Minister for Building, Verena Hubertz, has defended the government's plan to reduce housing benefits by a total of two billion euros. She described the situation as "bitter, but unavoidable," citing the country's difficult budget situation as the reason for the necessary austerity measures.

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Jedes Ministerium muss sparen, damit wir in Zukunft wieder größere Handlungsspielräume haben.

Hubertz explained that her ministry must implement cuts amounting to one billion euros specifically from the housing benefit program. The overall reform aims to save one billion euros each from federal and state contributions, reducing the annual housing benefit allocation from five billion euros to three billion euros. A draft law detailing these changes has reportedly entered the inter-ministerial consultation phase.

"Every ministry has to save so that we have more room to maneuver in the future," Hubertz stated, acknowledging the significant consequences these cuts will have on those who rely on housing assistance. She anticipates that roughly one-third of current recipients will no longer qualify for support under the new regulations.

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Die Kürzungen beim Wohngeld werden leider alle bisherigen Empfänger betreffen. Ein Drittel der bisherigen Wohngeldhaushalte wird rausfallen.

The minister specifically mentioned that individuals whose incomes are currently just high enough to be eligible will be particularly affected. She reiterated that losing this support is "very bitter, but unavoidable." However, housing benefit approvals that have already been issued will remain valid until their expiration date, as they are granted for a limited period.

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sehr bitter, aber nicht anders machbar