Danish government to increase spending on low-income families
A political agreement between the governing Social Democrats and allied parties has secured financial support for Denmark’s lowest-income families.
A temporary measure will divert 250 million kroner of spending to families encompassed by the reduced form of welfare for recently-arrived foreign nationals including refugees (integrationsydelsen); and to those for whom an upper limit on the amount a household can receive in social welfare applies (kontanthjælpsloftet).
Around 27,900 children are expected to benefit from the new subsidy, Ritzau reports.
Employment minister Peter Hummelgaard confirmed the government initiative.
“We have seen the stories piling up about families not being able to afford children’s winter clothing or leisure activities or about children going to school without any lunch at the end of the month,” Hummelgaard said.
“This is what we want to take action on and thereby live up to promises made when the government support paper [between Social Democrats and support parties, ed.] was signed,” he added.
The Social Liberals, Socialist People’s Party and Red Green Alliance have all agreed to the spending, which will enable it to pass parliament.
All three of those parties want to scrap the two measures restricting welfare payments for certain families.
The new subsidy will apply until a government commission submits recommendations on how to reform the two types of restriction. That is expected no later than summer 2020.
READ ALSO: Frederiksen becomes PM after left-wing parties reach deal
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A temporary measure will divert 250 million kroner of spending to families encompassed by the reduced form of welfare for recently-arrived foreign nationals including refugees (integrationsydelsen); and to those for whom an upper limit on the amount a household can receive in social welfare applies (kontanthjælpsloftet).
Around 27,900 children are expected to benefit from the new subsidy, Ritzau reports.
Employment minister Peter Hummelgaard confirmed the government initiative.
“We have seen the stories piling up about families not being able to afford children’s winter clothing or leisure activities or about children going to school without any lunch at the end of the month,” Hummelgaard said.
“This is what we want to take action on and thereby live up to promises made when the government support paper [between Social Democrats and support parties, ed.] was signed,” he added.
The Social Liberals, Socialist People’s Party and Red Green Alliance have all agreed to the spending, which will enable it to pass parliament.
All three of those parties want to scrap the two measures restricting welfare payments for certain families.
The new subsidy will apply until a government commission submits recommendations on how to reform the two types of restriction. That is expected no later than summer 2020.
READ ALSO: Frederiksen becomes PM after left-wing parties reach deal
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