Overview

• Hamburg’s Senate has initiated pilot tests equipping social workers with Bezahlkarten to distribute youth allowances in care facilities.
• The prepaid card, launched in February 2024, carries a €185 monthly credit with up to €50 in cash withdrawals and excludes online, cross-border and gambling transactions.
• A recent epd survey finds the card remains unavailable in many German municipalities due to technical hurdles and local resistance.
• Chancellor Friedrich Merz has proposed amending the Asylbewerberleistungsgesetz to mandate a nationwide standard for the Bezahlkarte.
• Carola Ensslen of the Left Party labels the card a “Schikanemaßnahme” and demands its repeal rather than extension.