The most important things at a glance
Since January 2024, the citizen’s allowance has been increased as part of SGB II. But a lot had already changed for children as a result of the Hartz IV reform. How much citizen’s benefit are children now entitled to? How high are the new standard citizen benefit rates for children in 2024? How much money do children and their parents have to live with? Will the citizen’s benefit rate for children change in the future?
We answer these questions in our article.
How high are the standard citizen benefit rates for children in 2024?
Citizens’ benefit is also available to children. Read here how much it is and whether child benefit and maintenance are taken into account.
Since the beginning of January, there has been more citizen’s benefit for children of parents entitled to citizen’s benefit than last year. The new citizen’s benefit rate for children (standard rate for children) aged 14 to 17 is 471 euros. Children aged 6 to 13 receive 390 euros and children up to and including 5 years receive 357 euros.
Citizen’s benefit: Is child benefit counted towards the standard rate?
The child benefit will be 250 euros per child in 2024. Whether it is the first, second, third or further child is irrelevant. Child benefit is paid out in the same amount for each child.
However, children who receive citizen’s benefit only benefit indirectly from child benefit, as the full amount of citizen’s benefit is credited to the children. This means that the children’s standard rates described above are reduced by 250 euros.
Read here: Will the child benefit increase come in 2024?
Crediting of child support and advance maintenance payments
The same applies to child support that one parent pays to the other parent for the child living with them. Child support is also counted towards the standard citizen benefit rate for the child.
If one parent does not pay maintenance, you are entitled to advance maintenance payments from the youth welfare office. The benefit (like maintenance) is also counted towards the citizen’s benefit for the child.
Child support and maintenance advances do not result in “more” in the wallet of the parent responsible for the child as long as the child is entitled to citizen benefit.
You can read how much child support has to be paid in 2024 here:
Düsseldorf table on child support 2024
The maintenance advance has also been increased in 2024. The exact numbers can be read here:
Maintenance advance 2024
Additional needs for single parents are determined by the number and age of the children
Parents, mothers or fathers who are solely responsible for the care of underage children are entitled to additional needs for single parents in accordance with Section 21 Paragraph 3 SGB II of the Citizens’ Benefit and therefore receive more money than the actual Citizens’ Benefit standard rate. The additional requirement for single parents is between 12 percent and 60 percent of the standard rate for a single person.
Overview of children’s rule sets
(compared to adults)Single people and single parents563 eurosCouples506 euros18 to 24 year old children451 euro14 to 17 year old children471 euro6 to 13 year old children390 eurosChildren up to 5 years357 euros
Citizen’s benefit standard rate for children sufficient?
Welfare associations, but also politicians, ask whether the standard citizen’s benefit rate is sufficient to ensure the child’s socio-cultural minimum subsistence level. Practice shows that far too many children and their parents receive citizen’s benefit and their situation is not improving.
Child protection associations have therefore long been calling for the introduction of basic child welfare to replace children’s citizens’ benefit.
The federal government has taken up these demands and is planning to introduce basic child welfare in 2025.
Summary of citizen’s benefit for children
The most important thing briefly noted at the end:
Children receive citizen’s money, no longer just social money. The Citizens’ Benefit Act provides for standard levels of need that are graded according to the age of the children.
However, the children’s standard rate of citizen’s benefit is reduced by the child benefit paid for the child. Child benefit is therefore offset against the children’s citizen benefit. The same applies to child support or the maintenance advance from the youth welfare office.
In 2024, basic child welfare is set to replace citizen’s benefit for children.
2024-02-03 20:46:12
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