The state of Upper Austria is expanding housing assistance

2023-12-04 11:03:00

The number of people entitled to receive housing assistance from the state of Upper Austria will be expanded – among other things, by the fact that child support up to an amount of 300 euros per child will no longer be counted towards household income from the beginning of 2024. This means that maintenance payments do not affect the approval of housing assistance, for which you cannot exceed certain income limits. Low-income single parents benefit from this. However, for the parent who makes the payment, it will continue to be considered as reducing their income.

Housing assistance is a benefit from the state’s housing department to help people with low incomes cover housing costs. It is important to “adapt this instrument to current requirements,” said Governor Stelzer. With the new innovations, this will “succeed well,” said LH Deputy Haimbuchner.

From 2024, the housing allowance bonus for pensioners with low personal pensions will also be increased. In addition, in 2024, the inflation allowance of 100 euros, which was also introduced so that certain upper income limits are not exceeded in view of inflation, will be retained for all recipients. The weighting factors for housing allowances will also be adjusted upwards. This helps in a “targeted and accurate manner,” say Stelzer and Haimbuchner.

Falling numbers, rising numbers

In recent years, the number of people receiving housing assistance has fallen steadily – for example, from 31,100 to 24,000 people between 2017 and 2021, as the State Audit Office (LRH) found in a report published last year. According to the LRH, 54.5 million euros in housing assistance were paid out in 2021.

In 2022, the number of housing benefit recipients fell again – to around 23,300 recipients who, according to the state, were paid around 48 million euros. But the numbers are now rising again. So far in 2023, around 26,100 people have been approved for housing assistance from the state. Around 49 million euros have been paid out so far under the title of housing allowance.

SPÖ housing spokesman Peter Binder criticized Housing Councilor Haimbuchner in a broadcast: “Due to the lack of action in recent years, housing assistance has become increasingly less important. There is finally a need for an overall reform of housing assistance in order to solve the numerous problems with housing assistance.” said Binder. “He also called for an additional 100 million euros in the area of housing subsidies “to ensure sustainable affordable housing.”