https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Germany in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Germany's governing coalition has agreed to increase child benefits (Kindergeld) and offer tax relief. Here's what you need to know. https://www.thelocal.de/20200729/how-germany-plans-to-increase-child-benefits-and-provide-tax-relief Wed, 29 Jul 2020 13:51:32 +0200 how-germany-plans-to-increase-child-benefits-and-provide-tax-relief Germany’s highest court reached a groundbreaking decision this week when it ruled that it was “partially illegal” to penalize Hartz IV welfare recipients. We look at why critics have called to change the system since its beginnings. https://www.thelocal.de/20191107/what-you-need-to-know-about-hartz-iv-in-germany Thu, 07 Nov 2019 13:46:15 +0100 what-you-need-to-know-about-hartz-iv-in-germany On July 1st, the amount of 'Kindergeld' increased by €10 per month per child. We break down what exactly 'child money' is, and who exactly qualifies for it, even if they don't live in Germany. https://www.thelocal.de/20190712/everything-you-need-to-know-about-receiving-kindergeld-in-germany Fri, 12 Jul 2019 19:47:16 +0200 everything-you-need-to-know-about-receiving-kindergeld-in-germany Nobody wants to get the sack, but it can happen to us all. We look in detail at the rights you have if you are given a dreaded job dismissal. https://www.thelocal.de/20181114/10-golden-rules-to-know-if-you-lose-your-job-in-germany Wed, 14 Nov 2018 18:32:41 +0100 10-golden-rules-to-know-if-you-lose-your-job-in-germany The co-leader of the Green Party, Robert Habeck, has proposed an alternative to Germany’s controversial welfare benefits system, Hartz IV. https://www.thelocal.de/20181114/the-green-party-wants-to-ditch-germanys-controversial-benefits-system-hartz-iv Wed, 14 Nov 2018 12:17:16 +0100 the-green-party-wants-to-ditch-germanys-controversial-benefits-system-hartz-iv SPD leader Andrea Nahles has said she will meet with disgruntled mayors amid growing concerns about a rise in the number of child benefit payments flowing into other EU countries. https://www.thelocal.de/20180809/number-of-child-benefit-recipients-outside-germany-up-to-270000 Thu, 09 Aug 2018 13:13:24 +0200 number-of-child-benefit-recipients-outside-germany-up-to-270000 On Wednesday the German government agreed on a draft law to severely curtail social benefits for EU citizens. Who does it apply to, and how does it differ from the UK's previous attempts to hinder immigration? https://www.thelocal.de/20161013/how-germanys-welfare-restrictions-could-affect-you Thu, 13 Oct 2016 18:56:56 +0200 how-germanys-welfare-restrictions-could-affect-you The German government wants to stop citizens of other EU countries, particularly from eastern Europe, from moving to Germany just for its benefits. https://www.thelocal.de/20161007/germany-moves-forward-on-plan-to-block-eu-citizens-from-welfare-for-5-years Fri, 07 Oct 2016 19:14:53 +0200 germany-moves-forward-on-plan-to-block-eu-citizens-from-welfare-for-5-years Child poverty is on the rise across Germany. But in the national capital and Bremen the situation is particularly severe. https://www.thelocal.de/20160531/every-third-child-in-berlin-now-dependant-on-welfare Tue, 31 May 2016 13:33:37 +0200 every-third-child-in-berlin-now-dependant-on-welfare European nationals who move to Germany cannot expect to receive social welfare for the first three months of their stay in Germany, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled on Thursday. https://www.thelocal.de/20160225/germany-can-withhold-welfare-from-foreigners-eu-court Thu, 25 Feb 2016 16:03:53 +0100 germany-can-withhold-welfare-from-foreigners-eu-court Germany's southern states are confiscating cash and valuables from refugees after they arrive, authorities in Bavaria confirmed on Thursday. https://www.thelocal.de/20160121/germans-join-danes-swiss-in-confiscating-refugees-valuables Thu, 21 Jan 2016 12:40:39 +0100 germans-join-danes-swiss-in-confiscating-refugees-valuables One-third of unemployed people in Germany are unable to afford a square meal at least once every two days, figures from the Federal Office of Statistics showed on Monday. https://www.thelocal.de/20151123/1-in-3-jobseekers-cant-afford-enough-food Mon, 23 Nov 2015 13:42:30 +0100 1-in-3-jobseekers-cant-afford-enough-food The European Court of Justice ruled on Tuesday that Germany can deny basic welfare payments to European migrants - even if they've previously had a job in the country. https://www.thelocal.de/20150915/ecj-germany-can-deny-foreigners-hartz-iv Tue, 15 Sep 2015 14:44:40 +0200 ecj-germany-can-deny-foreigners-hartz-iv Children from poorer families are already at a significant academic disadvantage when they start school, a study has found. https://www.thelocal.de/20150313/poorer-school-children-already-disadvantaged Fri, 13 Mar 2015 12:13:54 +0100 poorer-school-children-already-disadvantaged Update: The number of foreigners from crisis-hit EU countries receiving unemployment benefit in Germany has risen sharply, a newspaper reported on Tuesday, while youth unemployment is at an all-time low. https://www.thelocal.de/20140812/unemployment-eu-jobless-benefits-germany Tue, 12 Aug 2014 12:53:00 +0200 unemployment-eu-jobless-benefits-germany What would happen if everyone was suddenly paid €1,000 a month with no strings attached? "Let's try it," says Michael Bohmeyer, who raised the money through crowdfunding and will now experiment with the idea of a basic income for one year. https://www.thelocal.de/20140725/this-man-wants-to-give-you-12000 Fri, 25 Jul 2014 10:04:00 +0200 this-man-wants-to-give-you-12000 EU immigrants found abusing the German benefits system could be banned from re-entering the country for up to five years under a planned draft law. It comes as figures on Thursday showed migration to Germany has reached a 20-year high. https://www.thelocal.de/20140522/germany-plans-to-ban-benefit-fraudsters Thu, 22 May 2014 13:22:00 +0200 germany-plans-to-ban-benefit-fraudsters Germany can refuse to give unemployment benefit to EU citizens it believes are “welfare tourists”, according to a European ruling on Tuesday. https://www.thelocal.de/20140520/eu-court-advocate-general-rules-germany-can-deny-foreigners-hartz-iv Tue, 20 May 2014 15:17:00 +0200 eu-court-advocate-general-rules-germany-can-deny-foreigners-hartz-iv A German job centre will have to pay a jobless Spanish family unemployment benefits, a court ruled on Thursday, in an apparent contradiction of German law. https://www.thelocal.de/20140206/german-court-grants-eu-immigrants-benefits Thu, 06 Feb 2014 16:55:00 +0100 german-court-grants-eu-immigrants-benefits Complaints among Germany’s armed forces are up 20 percent in a year, despite the number of soldiers shrinking from 200,000 to 185,000. A delay in paying medical bills and worries over forces reform were the main causes of unrest in the ranks. https://www.thelocal.de/20131022/52521 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 18:06:00 +0200 52521