Federal Cabinet adopts action plan against social abuse

The Federal Government has adopted an action plan against social abuse. It targets, for example, criminals who place people in "junk properties" for which the job centre is supposed to pay excessive rents. By Dagmar Pepping Actually, Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Bärbel Bas wanted to present the action plan against social abuse together with Federal Minister of the Interior Alexander Dobrindt. But the SPD politician had to cancel all appointments at short notice for family reasons.

As a representative, State Secretary Leonie Gebers, the top official in the Bas ministry, now presented the plan. Germany needs workers from other EU countries and will continue to recruit for them, says Gebers. Unfortunately, however, the fact that this right to freedom of movement is being exploited has become a problem that occurs in municipalities throughout Germany. Dobrindt speaks of criminal structures The CSU politician Dobrindt put it this way: "Criminal structures try to prey on the welfare state.

To this we give the answer with the action plan, with a clear edge against social fraudsters and organized crime." For years, gangs have been bringing citizens from poorer EU countries such as Bulgaria and Romania to Germany. They employ these people for appearances or just for a very few hours, the attracted EU citizens apply for top-up social benefits here. One example is basic security, the former citizens' money. Many of these people live in so-called scrap properties: dilapidated houses and apartments for which landlords charge excessive rents - paid for by the job centre.

Municipalities in the Ruhr area are particularly affected - a business model for organised crime, Dobrindt emphasised. "Inspections carried out by the countries have identified properties occupied exclusively by social fraudsters." These are people who either do not exist at all, only as a name or under a false name, according to Dobrindt. "Or have just been brought here for the same reason, in order to steal services." The federal government has already initiated measures so that municipalities can take better action against scrap real estate. As a final step, expropriations should even be possible.

Help a better data exchange Jobcenter get knowledge of uninhabitable apartments or fake addresses and can then check the rental costs and stop payments if necessary. Above all, a better exchange of data between the authorities should help in the fight against social fraud. "It is certainly important to exchange data between immigration authorities and job centres in order to detect abuse and double payments more quickly," said State Secretary Gebers. In addition, the Federal Employment Agency is taking action against malpractice and fraud with its new central "Competence Center for Abuse of Performance" with five regional branches.

In addition, the federal government wants to make employers who rely on undeclared work more liable. No benefits for people who are wanted by arrest warrant Also part of the action plan: Persons who are wanted by arrest warrant should no longer receive benefits in the future. This applies in particular to convicted offenders who evade arrest. "So far, the situation is such that the social benefits are simply continued to be paid.

There is also a great deal of outrage about this situation, and rightly so. We will stop this, "said Interior Minister Dobrindt. He and the government now want to speed things up. The agreed measures of the action plan are to be implemented by the end of the year, is the goal.