Berlin – At the end of October, Chancellor Friedrich Merz was confident: “The citizens’ benefits reform will be implemented in spring 2026.” But according to BILD information, this is in danger: the spring start date can no longer be maintained!
According to BILD information, in the government and in the Federal Employment Agency responsible for its implementation, it is assumed that citizens’ benefits will only end on July 1!
The law must be passed in the federal cabinet “before Christmas, not earlier,” a government member told BILD. According to the current status, the latest is December 10th and the latest is December 17th. The law could then be passed by the Bundestag in late January/early February.
But: As BILD learned from within the federal government, employment agencies reported internally that it would take at least three months – “much longer” – to switch from the old citizen benefits to the new support system!
The reason:
▶︎ Software used to recalculate new aid levels, housing subsidies, and other benefits must be reprogrammed and extensively tested. To do this, you need the final version of the law.
▶︎ Most importantly, time is needed to formulate a new sample letter for work center in a “legally safe”, i.e. legally clean, manner.
When asked by BILD, the Federal Employment Agency (BA) did not want to comment on the schedule. Spokesperson: “The Federal Employment Agency will be involved in the association hearing and will make a statement. Then BA can also assess the timing.”
The conclusion of a person familiar with the matter regarding changing citizens’ money to the new basic guarantee: “It won’t happen in the spring. It will probably happen in the summer.”
