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What you can do if you still haven’t received Austria’s 2023 Klimabonus

While most people received their Austrian Klimabonus payout for 2023 in October, some are still waiting for payment. Here's what you should do if that is your case.

What you can do if you still haven't received Austria's 2023 Klimabonus
A man withdraws money from an ATM. (Photo by PHILIPPE HUGUEN / AFP)

Austria has completed the “in-year payment” wave of the Klimabonus 2023, with the majority of those eligible receiving their payouts of €55 to €220 back in the autumn of last year. However, some are still waiting for their payment despite being eligible. 

This is because, in a few cases, the government cannot determine eligibility until the end of the year. This is why a second payout of the Klimabonus 2023 is scheduled for spring 2024. Anyone who has their primary residence in Austria for at least six months in the year of entitlement receives the payment, which was created to offset the costs of a new CO2 green tax and varies depending on where a person lives. 

READ ALSO: Will Austria increase the Klimabonus payment amount in 2024?

If you have lived in Austria for at least six months in 2023 and still haven’t been paid your Klimabonus 2023, here are the possible reasons why:

  • You have moved to a different address within Austria. The government would then have to wait until the end of the year to establish in which regional category you lived the longest.
  • You moved to Austria in the first six months of the year. In this case, you have not yet satisfied the basic condition for receipt of the Klimabonus by the time of the first entitlement assessment date in July 2023. This is also the case for children born in the first six months of the year – they were not considered “residents” by the time of the cut-off date in July 2023 and will only receive it after a second assessment is made at the end of the year.
  • The recipient of Family Allowance (Familienbeihilfe) has changed. This is relevant because the Klimabonus for a child is paid out to the person who received the Family Allowance for the child for at least six months in 2023. If the Familienbeihilfe payment started only in 2023, then the Klimabonus will be sent only in spring 2023 after the recipient is confirmed.
  • In the first six months of the year, you were detained by order of a court or the authorities or were serving a sentence involving the deprivation of liberty. According to the federal government, people who are arrested or serving such a sentence for more than 183 days do not receive a Klimabonus.

READ ALSO: Klimabonus 2023: Everything we know about Austria’s subsidy payment

If you fall into any of the categories above, you will still receive your Klimabonus 23 payment by spring 2024. By autumn 2024, unless any of those criteria again happen to you, you will also receive a Klimabonus 24 payment.

My case is none of the above, and I still haven’t received the payment. What should I do?

If you are sure you are entitled to it (main residence in Austria for at least six months in 2023 and a legal resident status in the country), you can reach the call centre on 0800 8000 80, Monday through Friday from 8 am to 6 pm. 

My Klimabonus was sent out, but I missed the deadline to pick up my letter from the post office. What should I do?

In some cases, the Klimabonus was sent out to people through a Sodexo voucher that was mailed in secure post. If you were not at home to sign for the delivery, you’d have to take your ID to the post office and pick it up there within the deadline.

If you missed the deadline, it’s still possible to collect your Klimabonus. The government has released a contact form for those cases. If you want to receive your next payment straight to your bank account HERE is how you can do it.

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COST OF LIVING

IN NUMBERS: What are the expenses Austrian families have in 2024?

Couples with children have expenses of over €4,000 a month in Austria, a new survey shows. With prices such as heating costs skyrocketing by 53 percent in 2024.

IN NUMBERS: What are the expenses Austrian families have in 2024?

Austrian families are facing higher living expenses, and an increased number of them are finding it challenging to repay their debts.

The monthly living expenses have increased by several hundred euros, as shown in the latest reference budget report from debt counselling services in Austria (Schuldnerberatungen), as reported by Vienna AT.

Current costs of living for Austrian families

According to the reference budget, couples with two children now face total monthly expenses exceeding €4,433, while single parents with two children face costs of €3,704, and single-person households costs of €1,730.

Compared to the 2023 reference budget, the monthly living costs for families have increased by several hundred euros. The reference budget for a household with one parent and two children is €300 more than last year.

Heating costs have seen the highest increase, skyrocketing 53 percent. Food prices are up 11 percent, and expenses for social and cultural activities have risen 10 percent. Rental costs have also jumped 8 percent.

Every month, a couple with two children (aged 7 and 14) now spends around €1,149 on food, €569 on entertainment, and €1,054 on rent and maintenance. They also budget about €212 for public transport, €285 for heating and electricity, and €117 for healthcare.

A single parent with two children (aged 7 to 14) spends about €1,021 on food monthly, €403 on entertainment, and €903 on rent and maintenance. Public transport costs the family around €121, heating and electricity about €248, and healthcare around €81.

Additionally, school-related expenses for two children cost parents around €156 per month.

People struggle to pay their debts

Johanna Steurer, project manager at ASB Schuldnerberatungen, the umbrella organisation for debt counselling services, has expressed concern over these rising costs, saying that more people are struggling at the end of the month due to the increased prices, reported Kleine Zeitung

New figures show that the high living costs have contributed to an increasing number of people becoming over-indebted, meaning they have more debt than they can manage.

“The high cost of living is becoming increasingly important as a reason for over-indebtedness,” Steurer said.

The reference budgets are calculated annually and show how much money is needed for different types of households to afford a decent life with a minimum of social and cultural participation.

The budgets assume a rented apartment and do not include regional cost differences or car expenses, which average nearly €900 monthly.

READ ALSO: How much does it cost to live in Vienna in 2024?

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