Social Welfare Reform: Schumann Promises Justice Without Social Coldness

"It's about making the system fairer and more targeted – for example, with benefits in kind," explained Social Minister Korinna Schumann to the APA. Media reports about high individual sums in social transfers, such as in the case of a Syrian family with eleven children and benefits of around 9,000 euros, are seen by Schumann with understanding but as not representative. "Anyone who works should always have more than someone who lives on social benefits – that is a basic principle," emphasized the minister. At the same time, she warned against a blanket discrediting of those in need.

Schumann wants "fair" reform of social assistance

But it's not just about income, "it's about participation." "Not least for this reason, fair wages are needed, from which one can live well - with fair working conditions," said Schumann. "Here, the social partnership has been doing great work for many years - I will work to ensure that social dumping and exploitation are curbed." It is the political responsibility to ensure that performance is worthwhile. However, the solution is not to give less to those in need. "If someone with a full-time job can barely make ends meet, then it's not due to social assistance. Our social policy should not make anyone rich - but also not leave anyone in the lurch," she emphasized.

No capping, but more targeted design

According to Schumann, there will be no general capping to limit benefits in the future: "A blanket cap regardless of need would be constitutionally questionable," she said. The head of the department pointed out that the amounts presented always consist of several benefits, such as rent allowance, child benefit, school start money. These would be based on the number of children and the actual need.

She stands for adjustments "that will not be overturned by courts in a few years," Schumann looked at the constitutionality of any changes. "However, we are examining how the system can be made fairer and more targeted - for example, with benefits in kind - without creating social coldness and without playing groups of people against each other."

The pink coalition partner apparently has a different opinion on this issue. NEOS social spokesperson Johannes Gasser advocated for an "open-ended debate" in a statement. "The possibility of a cap should not be ruled out from the outset. Several federal states work constitutionally with such upper limits and benefits in kind," said Gasser.

Majority of Social Assistance Recipients are Supplementers

It is also important to emphasize here - because it is often overlooked in public discourse - that 73 percent of households receiving social assistance are so-called supplementers, where employment income or unemployment benefits, alimony, sick pay, etc., are not sufficient to cover living expenses. "We are also talking about thousands of single mothers or pensioners who would otherwise end up in poverty," said Schumann. This is not something that politics and society can seriously want. "Social assistance, together with other benefits, was and is the social safety net that we must maintain in Austria because people need it."

In response to repeated criticism that working people with jobs do not reach the benefits of social assistance recipients if they have children, Schumann said: "That is incorrect - if a household's income does not reach the calculated level of social assistance, the household can supplement."

Nationwide Standardization and More Control as Goals

An important concern for the Minister of Social Affairs is the standardization of cash benefits across federal states. "The differences are indeed a problem - there is a need for uniform minimum standards in social assistance, instead of a regional patchwork." She therefore advocates for a nationwide solution that is intended to create "justice" - both between the federal states and among people.

Schumann emphasized that the granting of social benefits - even now - is indeed sufficiently controlled. The disbursement of social assistance follows a clearly regulated procedure. Eligibility is regularly reviewed, including the asset and income situation.

That there are still individual cases with seemingly high amounts of social benefits is due to the number of children: "Especially in larger households with children, benefits add up due to legally provided family allowances and subsidies. It is understandable that individual cases are highlighted in the media - but this should not give the impression that there are systematic abuses. If there are doubts, they must of course be examined," she emphasized.

Labor Market Integration as Key

The central goal is the integration of those affected into the labor market. However, this cannot be achieved overnight - this is especially true for people with a refugee background. "It requires German language skills, qualification measures, and above all, functioning childcare so that both parents can work," she emphasized.

This also requires close cooperation between the Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF) and the Public Employment Service (AMS) to quickly place employable individuals into suitable jobs - all of this is part of the planned social welfare reform. "General criticism is of little help here - we need to dismantle structural barriers, not stigmatize individual families."

Child Basic Security as a Perspective

The government's task is not to bring families into permanent dependency. They must be given "real perspectives." According to Schumann, this includes educational opportunities for children - hence the government program also includes child basic security (as part of the social welfare reform) so that education is not inherited. Language courses, qualification for adults, and access to affordable childcare are also necessary. Only in this way can mothers also become professionally active.

FPÖ social spokesperson Dagmar Belakowitsch criticized Schumann's statements as "just hot air." The social welfare system must be completely redesigned - not reformed, not adjusted, she demanded, and denied the tripartite coalition the "will for change and redesign." She stands "for stagnation, social coldness, and discrimination against locals."

Upper Austria Plans Its Own Reform

Upper Austria, independent of Schumann's plans, intends to present a reform of its social welfare law focusing on employable recipients before the summer, announced Integration Provincial Councilor Christian Dörfel (ÖVP) on Friday. It is about "qualification and placement. Additionally, we will tighten the German language requirement." He considers the key points mentioned by the minister to be "correct overall," but one must look closely at the sole AMS responsibility for employable recipients planned in the government program. There is a risk of a bureaucratic double structure here, according to Dörfel.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.