How much money will you get from Germany's energy relief measures?
The government is providing financial relief to people in Germany to help with rocketing energy prices. They've released calculators to give you an idea of how much cash you'll pocket.
Among the measures is a one-off €300 boost to all employed taxpayers in Germany, as well as €200 for people on social welfare and €100 for those on unemployment benefit.
People on housing benefit will receive a €270 heating cost allowance and €230 for students receiving state support (BAfög).
Meanwhile, families will receive a Kinderbonus amounting to €100 per child.
Other relief measures include an increase in the commuter allowance to 38 cents per kilometre (after the 21st kilometre), a €9 monthly travel ticket for use on public transport, and a fuel tax cut.
There are also a number of tax relief measures that were agreed upon earlier this year.
The government is also scrapping the Renewable Energy Act (EEG) levy on July 1st to save people money on their electricity bills, and there are changes to tax - such as the basic tax-free allowance increasing.
READ ALSO: KEY POINTS- What Germany’s budget means for you
The packages are aimed at providing financial relief to German residents in the cost of living crisis. In total, it amounts to around €4.46 billion of relief.
How much money are people actually receiving?
The German government has launched a number of resources that give examples of what people are entitled to and will get as financial relief, as well as individual calculators.
On the Finance Ministry's site, the government shows six examples of what relief people will receive. They include a single person, a family with two children, a pensioner, and a self-employed person.
Visitors visit stalls at the Central German Pottery Market in Wernigerode, Saxony Anhalt. Several measures should provide financial relief to people in Germany this year. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Matthias Bein
Here's a look at two of the examples:
Single person
Arek, 32, is an employed mechanical engineer with a salary of €61,500, who lives in Cologne and commutes to work every day.
The government says Arek will benefit from the increase in the basic tax-free amount and the employee lump sum, and will receive an extra €146 net.
The €300 one-off energy relief payment that Arek receives through his employer with his salary in September will result in him receiving €185 net (the payment is taxed) in his account.
READ ALSO: Who gets Germany's €300 energy relief payout - and when?
As a driver, Arek also benefits from the temporary reduction in energy taxes for fuel for three months: with his daily commute and occasional trips, he drives a total of around 700 kilometres per month. Therefore he consumes about 56 litres of petrol per month and, including VAT for three months, this comes to tax relief of about €59.07.
He also receives tax relief on his electricity costs due to the abolition of the EEG surcharge. For his electricity consumption of around 1,900 kilowatt hours per year, the EEG levy of 3.72 cents per kilowatt hour will no longer apply from July 1st. This results in tax relief of around €35.
Family with two children
Jens, 35, who is a roofer, and office clerk Maria, 33, both earn around €35,000 each. The couple lives in Bad Doberan with two children, and work in Wismar, about 44 kilometres away.
The family benefits from the basic tax-free allowance being increased by €363 retroactively to January 1st, 2022. This amounts to a net relief of €138 for them both. They also benefit from the increase in the long-distance commuter allowance - in 2022, they will be able to claim an increase of around €165 each for their commute to work, i.e. a total of €332. This will save them around €94 net. The tax relief on the basic tax-free allowance, plus the long-distance commuter allowance add up to around €232.
READ ALSO: Why Germany's energy relief measures are no fix for adequate social security
The €600 (2 x €300) one-off payments that the couple receives in total through their employers with their salaries add up to a plus of about €430 (net) on the family account.
The family receives a Kinderbonus of €200 for the two children (€100 per child). That is paid out in July with child benefit.
The reduction of the energy tax on fuel also provides relief: the joint journey to work, daily errands, and smaller trips by car add up to about 2,500 kilometres per month. The tax relief, including VAT, amounts to about €70 per month, i.e. €210 for the three summer months.
The family also receives tax relief on electricity because the EEG levy will be dropped. They consume around 4,100 kWh a year. From July 1st, the EEG surcharge will no longer apply, which corresponds to relief of around €76 for them.
READ ALSO: Why people in Germany have longer for their tax return this year
How can I find out how much I will get?
The Finance Ministry has released two calculators which will help you get an idea of what you will get.
If you're a taxpayer and want to see how much relief you'll get with the €300 payout, check out the calculator here where you can input your salary before tax.
To calculate the energy tax on fuel, check out this one where you can input
As with all of our tax and financial summaries, this is a guide only and should not be taken to constitute specific and tailored financial advice. For tax advice which is personalised to your situation, please contact an accountant or tax specialist.
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Among the measures is a one-off €300 boost to all employed taxpayers in Germany, as well as €200 for people on social welfare and €100 for those on unemployment benefit.
People on housing benefit will receive a €270 heating cost allowance and €230 for students receiving state support (BAfög).
Meanwhile, families will receive a Kinderbonus amounting to €100 per child.
Other relief measures include an increase in the commuter allowance to 38 cents per kilometre (after the 21st kilometre), a €9 monthly travel ticket for use on public transport, and a fuel tax cut.
There are also a number of tax relief measures that were agreed upon earlier this year.
The government is also scrapping the Renewable Energy Act (EEG) levy on July 1st to save people money on their electricity bills, and there are changes to tax - such as the basic tax-free allowance increasing.
READ ALSO: KEY POINTS- What Germany’s budget means for you
The packages are aimed at providing financial relief to German residents in the cost of living crisis. In total, it amounts to around €4.46 billion of relief.
How much money are people actually receiving?
The German government has launched a number of resources that give examples of what people are entitled to and will get as financial relief, as well as individual calculators.
On the Finance Ministry's site, the government shows six examples of what relief people will receive. They include a single person, a family with two children, a pensioner, and a self-employed person.
Here's a look at two of the examples:
Single person
Arek, 32, is an employed mechanical engineer with a salary of €61,500, who lives in Cologne and commutes to work every day.
The government says Arek will benefit from the increase in the basic tax-free amount and the employee lump sum, and will receive an extra €146 net.
The €300 one-off energy relief payment that Arek receives through his employer with his salary in September will result in him receiving €185 net (the payment is taxed) in his account.
READ ALSO: Who gets Germany's €300 energy relief payout - and when?
As a driver, Arek also benefits from the temporary reduction in energy taxes for fuel for three months: with his daily commute and occasional trips, he drives a total of around 700 kilometres per month. Therefore he consumes about 56 litres of petrol per month and, including VAT for three months, this comes to tax relief of about €59.07.
He also receives tax relief on his electricity costs due to the abolition of the EEG surcharge. For his electricity consumption of around 1,900 kilowatt hours per year, the EEG levy of 3.72 cents per kilowatt hour will no longer apply from July 1st. This results in tax relief of around €35.
Family with two children
Jens, 35, who is a roofer, and office clerk Maria, 33, both earn around €35,000 each. The couple lives in Bad Doberan with two children, and work in Wismar, about 44 kilometres away.
The family benefits from the basic tax-free allowance being increased by €363 retroactively to January 1st, 2022. This amounts to a net relief of €138 for them both. They also benefit from the increase in the long-distance commuter allowance - in 2022, they will be able to claim an increase of around €165 each for their commute to work, i.e. a total of €332. This will save them around €94 net. The tax relief on the basic tax-free allowance, plus the long-distance commuter allowance add up to around €232.
READ ALSO: Why Germany's energy relief measures are no fix for adequate social security
The €600 (2 x €300) one-off payments that the couple receives in total through their employers with their salaries add up to a plus of about €430 (net) on the family account.
The family receives a Kinderbonus of €200 for the two children (€100 per child). That is paid out in July with child benefit.
The reduction of the energy tax on fuel also provides relief: the joint journey to work, daily errands, and smaller trips by car add up to about 2,500 kilometres per month. The tax relief, including VAT, amounts to about €70 per month, i.e. €210 for the three summer months.
The family also receives tax relief on electricity because the EEG levy will be dropped. They consume around 4,100 kWh a year. From July 1st, the EEG surcharge will no longer apply, which corresponds to relief of around €76 for them.
READ ALSO: Why people in Germany have longer for their tax return this year
How can I find out how much I will get?
The Finance Ministry has released two calculators which will help you get an idea of what you will get.
If you're a taxpayer and want to see how much relief you'll get with the €300 payout, check out the calculator here where you can input your salary before tax.
To calculate the energy tax on fuel, check out this one where you can input
As with all of our tax and financial summaries, this is a guide only and should not be taken to constitute specific and tailored financial advice. For tax advice which is personalised to your situation, please contact an accountant or tax specialist.
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