Citizens’ allowance recipients can get food vouchers in addition to their standard requirement-but only under certain conditions.
Kassel – Citizens’ allowance is intended to secure the subsistence level. The standard requirement for single people is currently 563 euros a month. If the money is not enough, beneficiaries can also receive beneficiaries such as food vouchers in emergencies.
Food vouchers instead of cash: what citizens’ money receivers need to know
If beneficiaries cannot make a living with the standard requirement, the citizen benefit can be “provided in full or proportionately in the form of benefits in kind,” says Section 24 (2) of the Second Social Code (SGB II). This applies “especially in the case of drug or alcohol addiction as well as in the case of uneconomical behavior”. Food vouchers are among these benefits and may only be used for the purchase of food.
According to the industry portal opposite-hartz.de the vouchers are only awarded under certain conditions. For example, health benefits can be granted for addiction. The JobCenter Börde explains that food vouchers can also be spent on “if the Payments were set on the basis of a sanction“. In the event of proven financial emergency, the vouchers can also help, like that Job Center Berlin informed. However, this should always be checked in the respective individual case.
Only certain goods can be purchased with the vouchers, alcohol and tobacco products are excluded. The value for which can be bought is given on the voucher. Citizens’ money recipients learn from your job center which business accept the vouchers. The JobCenter Berlin points out: “Please ask before shopping in the grocery store whether the food vouchers are accepted as a means of payment.”
“Exclusively in emergencies”: if the citizens’ allowance is not sufficient
In Munich there are no classic food vouchers. Instead, the job center relies on the so-called barcode procedure, which, however, applies “exclusively in emergencies”, a spokesman for the Job Center Munich told Ippen.media. That means: In emergency situations, the job center can grant a cash payment. This could “be used like a voucher in anonymized form in the payment process”.
Citizens’ allowance recipients can, for example, receive a payment slip that can be redeemed in various markets. “You will find three nearby acceptance points in the area of your employment agency on the payment slip,” says an information flyer. The money is then paid out. The appearance is valid for a maximum of two days. “A personal discussion in the Job Center Munich is required for the application,” continued the job center spokesman in an interview with Ippen.media.
Meanwhile, the coming Merz government replace the citizens’ benefit with the basic security. However, experts expressed concerns about the planned placement of placement. (Kas)
