National Council wants to replace old-age child pensions with new model
Published: Thursday, Mar 7th 2024, 13:22
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AHV and pension fund recipients should no longer receive a pension for their children. That is the opinion of the National Council. On Thursday, it adopted a corresponding motion from its Social Affairs Committee. A new model is to be introduced.
The decision in the large chamber was made by 117 votes to 62 with 8 abstentions. As in the committee, a minority of the SP and the Greens unsuccessfully opposed the proposal. It will now go to the Council of States.
According to the text of the motion, the abolition of old-age children's pensions in the OASI and occupational pension schemes should be accompanied by a simultaneous increase in supplementary benefits for parents with maintenance obligations. In addition, survivors' pensions - also known as orphans' pensions - and children's pensions in the event of disability and their continued payment at AHV age are not to be affected.
In the opinion of the majority, old-age children's pensions that are already in payment should continue to be paid until the end of the eligibility period. However, the transparency of payments and the prevention of possible abuse should be improved.
"Targeted elimination of discrimination"
Andri Silberschmidt (FDP/ZH), spokesperson for the National Council's Social Security and Health Committee (SGK-N), which originated the motion, spoke of a "modernization of the system". The current old-age child pension favors parents who receive a full AHV pension, i.e. people who have enough money. They should no longer receive a supplementary pension.
On the other hand, the majority believes that the burden on low incomes should be reduced more than it is today. Specifically, the supplementary benefits for this group of people should be increased.
The initiative is intended to "specifically eliminate discrimination", as stated in the written justification. Changes are needed "with a view to economic sustainability and social justice for all generations".
"Ideology that has not been thought through"
Manuela Weichelt (Greens/ZG) opposed the motion on behalf of a committee minority. "Four days after the clear yes to the 13th AHV pension comes the next attempt to reduce the AHV - at the expense of the younger generation." This is alien to the system and shameful.
"If we abolish the AHV child pension, we are depriving young people of money for their education," Weichelt continued. One in seven children is already affected by poverty today. The proposal is nothing more than "an ill-conceived ideology at the expense of children".
According to Weichelt, the number of women of retirement age with children in education is constantly increasing. If the motion is accepted, more people will be forced into supplementary benefits. This would also mean additional administrative work for the cantons.
Federal Council rejects the idea several times
The cost of child pensions has risen sharply over the past twenty years and amounts to more than CHF 230 million a year in the AHV alone. The abolition of child pensions is not a new issue, but has so far failed in parliament.
Social Affairs Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider pointed out that the Federal Council had also examined the abolition of child pensions several times in recent years. However, it had always come to the conclusion that the abolition of child pensions was not justified, in particular because of the equal opportunities for children. With regard to the next AHV reform, however, the issue will be examined again.
The child's pension is a supplement to the old-age pension for insured persons who have children up to the age of 18 or - if they are in education - 25. The child pension amounts to a maximum of 40 percent of your own old-age pension. Working parents receive CHF 200 to 300 per month per child. Pensioners receive a monthly child pension of CHF 478 to 956.
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