While living in Ukraine: A refugee family collected 40,000 euros in Germany

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According to estimates by aid organizations, 3.5 million people have fled Ukraine since the start of the war. 700,000 of them receive citizen benefits in Germany. But some people return to their home countries. It is difficult to keep an overview, as a case in Germany shows. A Ukrainian family collected a total of 40,000 euros from the German authorities – even though they had long returned to Ukraine.

It all started in the spring of 2022. According to “Focus”, a woman and her son initially stayed with a German host family in Schleswig-Holstein. She immediately received a citizen’s benefit. A daycare center and an apartment were also arranged. Subsequently, the woman’s husband also came to Germany and a short time later the woman had another child. From then on, the family of four received a benefit of 3,200 euros (3,200 francs) per month. So far so good.

The family decided to return to their home in western Ukraine in early 2023. Because the region was largely spared from the war. The four left Germany, but returned at the end of 2023 and asked the host family again for help in finding an apartment and now also a school place for their now six-year-old son. But it turned out that the family continued to receive support from Germany while living in Ukraine for a year.

The authorities are overwhelmed

The labor office in the affected district is now trying to clarify the matter. But the matter is complicated. Because the government, as a cost bearer, cannot check whether the children actually show up at school or childcare.

The Federal Labor Office admits that the system could be exploited by Ukrainians. Although Ukrainian refugees are also regularly asked to come to the employment office, “the employment offices determine the specific interval on site at their own discretion,” says a spokeswoman for “Focus”.

Employment agencies and employment offices are overwhelmed by the number of refugees from Ukraine. Ukrainians’ assets are also rarely checked. Anyone with more than 40,000 euros does not actually receive a citizen’s benefit. But this is also not checked because it requires evidence from Ukraine. (jwg)

Source: Blick