Can Vienna still hold its social standards? – Diepresse.com

The need grows. Aging population, crises, inflation, waves of termination: The number of people who need help increases. But the budgets are scarce and are probably even more scarce. Can Vienna receive the standards in terms of social aid? After all, these are high, there is little real hardship and impairing for a city of this size, but help offers are comprehensive, social security is considered a major asset in this city. Can you afford that in the long run?

« We have demographic developments and a size in which it is clear: more social achievements will be needed. Vienna is of course growing in the FSW. Of course, we are completely clear to us the situation of the city’s budget and in the federal government. But if we know the requirements, we can plan well, » says Anita Bauer, Managing Director of the Social Eas Vienna (FSW). In Vienna, the FSW is responsible for everyone who gets into difficult situations: need care, are over -indebted, have no apartment that live themselves or their children with disabilities or who are in basic care, i.e. asylum seekers, subsidiary protection and displaced persons from Ukraine.

Growing pressure

Vienna spends billions for this. The budget was last (the last annual report dates from 2023) at 2.56 billion euros. The budget rose annually, but the adjustment was always under inflation. However, the number of customers is increasing, and 145,700 people recently used benefits. Less money, more need – that already led to fears, such as the Greens, the FSW is facing a hundreds of millions of euros. The FSW’s partner organizations – from Caritas to Volkshilfe to the Red Cross – also implement more than 170 organizations – report the growing cost pressure through the city.

« We have the advantage that a lot is legally anchored. Our customers have a legal right to others. There are no guidelines, but there are guidelines.

But nobody denies the pressure pressure. « Movement mass » locate the FSW bosses in the area of ​​new projects, additional services, with innovations. The partners also push for saving, « we have to look at efficiency, » says Bauer. However, Winkler emphasizes that 28,500 jobs are also behind the numbers.

How will the number of beneficiaries develop? The direction is clear: « From 2022 to 2023 alone, we had an increase of 2.2 percent. A big factor is of course demography. If a quarter of all Viennese is over 60 in ten years, that means something, » says Winkler.

In the area of ​​refugees, the main factor was the last war in Ukraine, the number of people in basic care has doubled during this time alone.

There is also more demand for people with disabilities, for example when it comes to part -care living. Especially in the disabled area, they are working on developing services, also to meet the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabilities. In the event of homelessness and debts, there is a lot on the economic situation, on inflation and rents. « This has an immediate effect on our number of customers, » says Bauer.

What else is coming now? « With every crisis there is a distance until this affects. Insolvency and dismissals take advantage of social packages, many people need reserves in the crisis. Then the question is: When do I ask myself? When do you admit that you cannot operate fixed costs, loans? In debt advice, the effect is delayed. But we were able to get the inhibition, also to come, » also, « also say »,  » Bauer.

Recession only hits

But little is really planned. Because of geopolitics, the economy, also politics in neighboring countries. The fact that Hungary is criminalized, for example, has also arrived on Vienna’s streets, and the offers in the area have recently been steadily expanded.

« We try to make scenario calculations, but especially in the refugee area there is a lot of view into the glass ball. Nobody would have expected this refugee crisis, then nobody expected the refugees from Ukraine. In between we had a covid crisis that affected the FSW.

Can the level of performance be preserved despite everything? « I’ve been there for over 20 years now, I have already experienced a few phases in which savings pressure was there. We also humped it down there. Of course it will be more challenging, » says Anita Bauer. « But social security is a very high asset in the whole city. It is a very dynamic time. It is all the more important that we do not forget the subject of solidarity. The fact that we look at weaker is also the quality of life, » says Susanne Winkler.