120 francs more per child!

The Federal Council wants to fully compensate for the inflation of the AHV pensions as of 1 July 2023. He made that clear on Wednesday. But the state government forgot about the families. The Child Benefits Act stipulates that the Federal Council must simultaneously increase the minimum child benefit rates. This is if the national consumer price index has risen by at least five percentage points since the last rate setting.

And indeed: as the chairman of trade union umbrella Travailsuisse, Adrian Wüthrich (42), calculates, inflation has risen by 4.8 points since the beginning of 2009. In all likelihood, the five-point mark will be crossed by the end of June.

Office needs to hurry up

If Parliament approves the Bundesrat’s plans for full cost-of-living reimbursement for AHV, IV and supplementary benefits as planned, there will be an obligation to also take into account the increased cost of living of mothers and fathers.

Adrian Wüthrich has already pointed this out to the Federal Social Insurance Agency. “The BSV must now hurry up for the families and submit the application to the Federal Council,” said the former SP National Council member. The desk of party friend Stéphane Rossini (59) in the Interior Department of SP federal councilor Alain Berset (50) is now going to work.

Additional costs for the AHV

Child benefit is currently at least CHF 200 per month. From July 1, those ten francs should be higher to compensate for inflation. In other words, families could count on 120 francs more per child per year.

The additional increase in pensions planned by the Federal Council will lead to additional costs for the AHV totaling CHF 418 million in 2023 and 2024, as calculated by the federal government. Travailsuisse estimates that the costs of cost-of-living adjustments for child benefit are in the range of up to CHF 310 million per year. Costs for the Family Compensation Funds are likely to be lower as some pay more than the minimum rates.

Legal obligation

But how can such an additional burden be justified when the federal government is in the red? Wüthrich: «With the law! This provides for this increase and the family compensation funds usually have sufficient reserves. » Traivailsuisse expressly welcomes the maintenance of the AHV pension level. But the devaluation of money must now also be taken into account for the parents. It is often difficult to make ends meet financially, especially for single parents, says Bernese former federal councilor Wüthrich.

Parliament had instructed the Federal Council to fully balance the AHV. This is – especially in view of the election year – an adjustment that the councils are happy to discuss despite the tense financial situation. Seniors are considered diligent voters.

Does Parliament think less of young mothers and fathers because they are less loyal voters? “I wouldn’t put it that way. It was just overlooked,” Wüthrich is confident that from July there will actually be ten francs more child benefit per month.

Source:Blick