Austria’s planned overhaul of social assistance is taking clearer shape, with new details emerging about how much families could receive for their children. Social Minister Korinna Schumann of the SPÖ is due to meet the nine provincial social affairs councillors on Thursday to discuss the reform, though some provincial representatives are unhappy that key plans have reached them through media reports rather than formal consultation. The draft law could be sent for formal review as early as Friday, reported by Austrian Press Agency
The reform aims to make social assistance more uniform across Austria. Its most sensitive issue concerns payments for children, where current rates vary sharply from one province to another. According to reports in several Austrian newspapers, the proposed model appears to move towards the degressive systems already used in Upper Austria and Lower Austria, where support decreases as the number of children in a household rises.
Under the reported plan, families would receive 307 euros a month for their first child. From the fifth child onwards, the payment would fall to just under 150 euros per child. For the second, third and fourth children, the federal government would reportedly set a range within which provinces could decide. The upper limit would remain 307 euros, while the lower limits would be 246 euros for a second child, 184 euros for a third and 154 euros for a fourth.
Provinces would not be free to choose any amount within those limits. According to the Krone newspaper, they would need to justify payments above the minimum, for example by pointing to higher living costs in their region.
The reform also includes stricter rules for non Austrians who have never contributed to the social insurance system. They would initially receive 860 euros per person, roughly 70 per cent of the standard rate. After completing language and values courses, the amount could rise to 1,045 euros, while full social assistance of 1,230 euros would be granted only if recipients showed genuine efforts to find work. Reports also suggest a waiting period of four to five months before initial support, although no final agreement has been reached on that point.
Because the law requires a two-thirds majority in parliament, the government will need broad support. It is scheduled to take effect on 1 January 2027. However, the provinces could still resist the plan. FPÖ social affairs councillors in Styria and Salzburg have already complained that Thursday’s meeting may present them with a near final package rather than genuinely involve them in the decision making process.
