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

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

Eimsbüttel, Hamburg, Deutschland - In Hamburg, the housing benefit for many citizens becomes a game of patience. The processing of applications takes an average of almost 19 weeks, in some districts such as Eimsbüttel even a lot longer, where applicants have to wait for a decision directly for over 30 weeks. The pressure on the local administration is growing, and the Reporting of the NDR makes it clear that it is hardly reasonable to stay in this uncertain waiting time.

The situation for the approximately 27,000 people in the city who rely on housing benefit is particularly explosive to manage their rent, be it despite a job or a pension. The left faction has spoken out and sharply criticized the long processing times. According to Hamburg.de , numerous cases of illness is the main cause for the bumpy processes in the processing of applications. This not only leads to resentment among those affected, but also to repeated protests, such as recently 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 conditions and has announced that it can accelerate the procedures. One approach could be the simplification of the application procedures. Currently, applications have to be filled out in full and with appropriate evidence, which, as the authority notes, can further extend the processing time if documents are missing or are incomplete.

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

No disadvantages for applicants

It is important to know that longer processing times do not be at the expense of the applicants. As soon as an application is submitted, those affected are entitled to retrospective additional payments to the housing benefit. As the administration confirms, the payment has been made for the period since the application, and only the month in which the application has been received by the housing benefit authority.

The more urgently the question is how the city tackles these challenges in order to meet the needs of the citizens: inside. In view of the increasing cost of living, quick action is urgently required so that nobody is left in the rain. According to the Statistics of the Federal Employment Agency affects the basic social needs many families and should therefore have the top priority of politics.