Higher energy subsidy should benefit children, Barnabati says

Barnabati has told the parliament’s welfare committee that the proposed increase to the energy subsidy should be assessed based on how it would benefit children, KVF reports.

The committee is considering a proposal from Tjóðveldi and Sjálvstýri to raise the subsidy. Barnabati welcomes the proposal to increase the income thresholds for receiving the payment, but says it is also important to examine families whose income is close to those limits.

A family does not suddenly become financially secure because its annual income is slightly above a set threshold, Barnabati says. The organisation does not take a position on a specific asset limit, but notes that assets on paper do not always provide an accurate picture of how much money a family has available each month.

Families may have high fixed expenses and little available cash despite owning assets. Barnabati also questions whether the support is easy enough to access for families with the greatest need.