Housing benefit in Hamburg: Applicants fight waiting times for months!

Housing benefit in Hamburg: Applicants fight waiting times for months!

In Hamburg, housing benefit is becoming a game of patience for many citizens. Processing applications takes on average almost 19 weeks, in some districts such as Eimsbüttel even longer, where applicants have to wait over 30 weeks for a decision. The pressure on the local administration is growing, and Reporting by NDR makes it clear that it is hardly reasonable to remain in this uncertain waiting period.

The situation is particularly explosive for the approximately 27,000 people in the city who rely on housing benefit to cover their rent, whether despite having a job or a pension. The left-wing faction spoke out decisively and sharply criticized the long processing times. Loud Hamburg.de The lack of staff and numerous cases of illness are the main reasons for the bumpy processes in processing applications. This not only leads to discontent among those affected, but also to repeated protests, such as the recent one in Eimsbüttel, where many families once again took to the streets to draw attention to their difficult situation.

Authority plans reforms

Senator Andreas Dressel from the SPD is also dissatisfied with the situation and has announced that the proceedings will be accelerated. One approach could be to simplify the application process. Currently, applications must be filled out completely and supported by appropriate evidence, which, as the authority notes, can further extend the processing time if documents are missing or incomplete.

The processing times for parental allowance are also criticized, which average 78 days in Eimsbüttel and can even take up to 97 days in Altona. Dressel described the waiting times as unacceptable and announced that he would push for improvements here too.

No disadvantages for applicants

It is important to know that longer processing times are not at the expense of the applicant. As soon as an application is submitted, those affected are entitled to retroactive back payments of housing benefit. As the administration confirms, the payment is made for the period since the application was submitted, and only the month in which the application was received by the housing benefit authority is relevant.

The question of how the city tackles these challenges in order to meet the needs of its citizens is all the more pressing. In view of the rising cost of living, it is urgent to act quickly so that no one is left out in the cold. According to the Statistics from the Federal Employment Agency This issue affects the basic social needs of many families and should therefore be the top priority of politics.