Under fire again

Abolish the climate bonus? These would be the losers

The amount of the climate bonus depends on the public transport system in the municipality.

(Bild: P. Huber, Krone KREATIV)

This year, the climate bonus amounts to between 145 and 290 euros. The worse the municipality is connected to the public transport system, the higher the payment. This has recently led to discussions again.

The NEOS, for example, described the climate bonus as a "watering can" or not sufficiently targeted. The head of Wifo, Gabriel Felbermayr, and IHS Director Holger Bonin recommended that the ministry discontinue the payment completely. In the event of a possible abolition, Burgenland and Carinthia would be the biggest losers. People there currently receive an average of 253 and 240 euros per capita respectively. However, this sum is provisional, said the ministry. The actual sum and the number of people entitled to it will only be known at the end of the year.

Viennese receive the least
Burgenland and Carinthia are followed by Upper Austria (232 euros), Lower Austria and Styria (231 euros each). People in Vorarlberg (195 euros) and Vienna (150 euros) receive the least per capita. According to the Ministry, the transport connections are best there. The majority of Vienna's districts will receive the minimum amount of 145 euros this year. 

This is how high the per capita entitlement is in a comparison of federal states.

Children taken into account
The worse the residential municipality is connected to the public transport system, the higher the bonus. Including the regional compensation, the population receives either 145, 195, 245 or 290 euros. For children, a lower amount will be paid out to those who have received family allowance for at least six months this year.

In total, the Ministry is expected to spend 1.96 billion euros this year. The money comes from the proceeds of the CO₂ prize, which was introduced two years ago in October. Payment will continue until the spring.