More than 31,000 appeals against citizens' allowance notices

The job centers received more than 31,333 appeals against citizens' benefit notices last year. This is slightly fewer than in 2023, but more than in 2022, according to answers from Social Affairs Minister Petra Köpping (SPD) to a minor question from BSW member of state parliament Ronny Kupke. There were 32,088 appeals in 2023 and 29,250 in 2022.

The number of appeals against job center decisions fell from 3,737 in 2022 to 3,583 in the following year and 3,454 in 2024. The citizen's allowance was introduced in 2023 by the then federal government made up of the SPD, Greens and FDP.

Kupke criticized the fact that this step had not brought any noticeable improvements. While unemployment in Saxony is rising, the job center is busy processing appeals, he said. A reform of the unemployment benefit in its current form is essential, demanded the BSW MP.

The new federal government made up of the CDU/CSU and SPD wants to transform the citizens' benefit into "a new basic income for jobseekers" and significantly tighten the rules.