The procedure for applying for the energy price flat rate for students, which has now been announced after months of delay, is met with criticism. “We have to be careful that young people don’t feel unfairly treated. Unlike pensioners and professionals, an additional hurdle was created here with the online application,” said the Green digital politician Misbah Khan of the German Press Agency.
Some network activists criticized the fact that students were being urged to create a so-called BundID account when applying, although the General Data Protection Regulation stipulates that there must also be an analogous way.
Application available from March
From March 15, students and technical students should be able to apply for the long-awaited 200 euro energy price flat rate. Saxony-Anhalt has developed the digital platform, which is to be used by around 3.5 million people who are entitled to apply nationwide.
Federal Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger (FDP) said: “We have done our homework and I would like the federal states to take responsibility for doing their homework quickly.” The traffic light coalition had already agreed on the 200-euro special payment in September.
Digitization offers opportunities
The fact that students have not yet had the opportunity to apply for the 200-euro energy allowance is “very unfortunate,” said Khan. Although an application portal has now been created, the final application will only be possible shortly. The digitization of the administration offers great opportunities, said the Green politician.
Fast one-off payments and simple application procedures were also part of this. However, this requires the greatest possible trust in digital processes. Early involvement of the expertise of the Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information and “digital civil society” as well as good and transparent communication would have been decisive.
The students and technical students need a BundID account for identification for the application, it said in questions and answers from the ministry on energy price money.
