Image: Lev Dolgachov
After an increased climate and anti-inflation bonus was paid out once in the previous year, the return to the original system with regional grading is taking place this year. The basic amount will be increased to 110 euros in parallel with the increase in the CO2 price. It is paid out in stages of 110, 150, 185 and 220 euros.
As in the previous year, payment will be made from the beginning of September by bank transfer and by post using an RSa letter. All corresponding legal adjustments for the further development of the climate bonus will be decided on today, Wednesday, in Parliament’s environment committee.
Compared to 500 euros for adults and 250 euros for children in 2022, the climate bonus is significantly lower this year. How high it actually is depends on where you live. The better the public transport and infrastructure, the lower the payout. The community categories were created by Statistics Austria – the districts of Vienna were also considered separately. How high the respective regional compensation is can be tracked after entering the respective postal code at klimabonus.gv.at.
Those people who have account information will have their bonus transferred directly. Everyone else will receive it in the mail in the form of vouchers. The aim is to exceed the rate of 85 percent in transfers in the previous year in 2023, according to Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens).
What is also new in 2023 is that prisoners will no longer receive a climate bonus, as they “do not have to bear any costs of CO2 pricing,” according to a media release from the ministry. The FPÖ in particular has repeatedly criticized the fact that prisoners have also received the bonus.
The climate bonus is at the heart of the eco-social tax reform and is intended to reward climate-friendly behavior. “We follow the approach of ‘incentives instead of bans’ (…). The climate bonus was introduced as a bonus payment as direct compensation for CO2 pricing,” said Finance Minister Magnus Brunner (ÖVP).
The most important points at a glance:
- From 2023, the climate bonus will be paid out in the original system with a regional adjustment.
- The basic amount is the same for everyone in Austria and increases to 110 euros due to the rising CO2 price.
- The regional adjustment takes into account regional differences in the connection to public transport and the available infrastructure (schools, hospitals, etc.). Depending on where you live, this is 40 euros, 75 euros or 110 euros.
- The community categories were created by Statistics Austria – the districts of the federal capital Vienna were also considered separately.
- The individual regional compensation can be tracked after entering the respective postal code at klimabonus.gv.at.
- Prisoners no longer receive a climate bonus – because they do not have to bear any of the costs of CO2 pricing.
From June 19th, all Austrian households will be informed by post. An application is not necessary for a payment. It should be done automatically.
Source: Nachrichten
