National Council committee wants to increase family allowances
Published: Friday, Feb 23rd 2024, 17:20
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The minimum contributions for family allowances are to be increased by 50 francs. In future, the cantons should grant at least CHF 250 in child allowances and CHF 300 in education allowances. This is the demand of the responsible National Council committee.
The National Council's Social Security and Health Committee (SGK-N) has approved a corresponding parliamentary initiative by Marc Jost (EVP/BE), as reported by the parliamentary services on Friday. The decision was made by a narrow margin of 13 votes to 12.
Now it is the turn of the Council of States' sister committee. If the bill were to pass through parliament, the majority of cantons would have to adapt their practice, as only a few cantons currently pay family allowances of CHF 250. Basel-Stadt, Geneva, Fribourg, Jura, Vaud, Valais and Zug, as well as Lucerne and Neuchâtel for children over the age of twelve, already pay child allowances of CHF 250 or more, as Jost wrote in the justification for his initiative.
The Commission emphasizes in a communication that the increase in allowances would help families in precarious living conditions and middle-class families to counter the loss of purchasing power that they are currently facing due to inflation and increases in premiums and rents. In this way, the Commission wants to reduce the risk of children slipping into poverty, among other things.
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