“We know that young people are waiting for the money”

Federal Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger (FDP) has called on the federal states to pay out the one-time energy price lump sum of 200 euros for students as quickly as possible. She said at the start of an information campaign on Tuesday in Berlin: "We know that young people are waiting for the money." contact a hotline.

According to Stark-Watzinger, an application platform should be available in the second half of February, on which students have to register in order to receive the money. The federal government - together with Saxony-Anhalt - built the platform and did its homework, said Stark-Watzinger. Now it is the turn of the countries that have to pay out the money.

According to Stark-Watzinger, around 3.5 million young people at around 4,000 universities and technical schools are entitled to the 200 euro allowance. There is a lot of criticism of the length of the process.

All federal states have to pass regulations as a legal basis, many have not yet done so. According to Stark-Watzinger, Saxony-Anhalt wants to start making payments at the end of February or beginning of March. The other federal states apparently want to act together. Stark-Watzinger could not say when the lump sum will be paid out everywhere.

The federal government had first paid all citizens subject to income tax, and later also pensioners, an energy price flat rate of 300 euros. In December, support of 200 euros was also decided for students and technical students. The Federal Council agreed despite criticism. At that time, the countries were already worried that the payment would not work smoothly.