Help for refugees: How the German welfare state deals with Ukrainians

War and destruction are driving hundreds of thousands of people west of Ukraine.

In Germany, Berlin is the first destination for many.

According to information from Social Senator Katja Kipping (left), 6,500 refugees arrived at the main train station on Thursday alone with the special trains - and met many helpful people there who wanted to help with donations in kind or even sleeping places in their own homes.

At the same time, the question now arises as to how the welfare state and its services are available.

Things are also somewhat different than they were at the time of the refugee migration from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, because easier entry requirements have already applied to Ukrainians: biometric passports are allowed to stay for up to 90 days without a visa.

However, there is no entitlement to social benefits on this basis.

However, people who were only able to take the bare essentials with them when fleeing will need help.

How this is supposed to work legally and organizationally is now becoming clearer for the first time.

Circulars from the Federal Ministry of the Interior and the Federal Employment Agency, which were sent out on Friday as orientation for experts, provide an insight into this.

In short: Refugees from Ukraine do not have to apply for asylum in order to obtain a right of residence with access to social benefits.

However, the aid will initially relate to asylum seeker benefits - and not directly to Hartz IV.

Lower than Hartz IV rates

This also has to do with the fact that the so-called mass influx directive has now been activated at EU level and gives Ukrainians a special right of residence for one to three years throughout Europe: The associated paragraph 24 in the German Residence Act is linked to the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act.

Those affected initially receive priority benefits in kind if they are accommodated in initial reception facilities;

in the case of decentralized accommodation, these are primarily cash benefits.

These are a bit lower than the Hartz rates: For an individual there is currently 367 euros instead of 449 euros per month because some items have been excluded: the purchase of furniture is not taken into account in the needs rate, since refugees usually receive furnished accommodation;

and scope for purchasing musical instruments or camping equipment is not provided.

At least as important, however, is the question of whether the newcomers are allowed to take up work.

In any case, the residence permit according to paragraph 24 is a clear relief – anyone who has it is free to take up work, as the circular from the Federal Employment Agency (BA) confirms.

"A BA approval is not to be obtained for employment," it clarifies.

However, the municipalities with their immigration and social welfare offices are responsible for many of the short-term most urgent tasks.

The German District Association, one of the leading municipal associations, is at least satisfied with the direction taken: "It is good that the EU interior ministers have paved the way for Ukrainian displaced persons in Germany to receive immediate benefits from the social welfare offices," said the President of the central association, Reinhard Sager, the FAZ "It is important that our support system takes effect immediately."

Sager expects that the first thing that will come up for the districts is where the arriving Ukrainians will be accommodated - and makes it clear: "The initial reception facilities of the federal states will also play a role, so that there is good agreement and coordination between the federal government, the federal states and the municipalities that's the be-all and end-all.” All responsible authorities are dealing with a “very dynamic” development.