The social welfare assistance guarantees the so-called subsistence level (see below) to each humans in Switzerland, if it is legally in the country. A goal of the social welfare assistance is it to make for humans possible without means a human being-worthy existence. Rejected asylum-seekers about receive only a so-called help in need, which covers very much less as the usual social welfare assistance.

The social welfare assistance does not have anything to do with the social works like the old-age pension AHV or the invalidity insurance IV. the social welfare assistance supplemental however the range of any income, so that the subsistence level is ensured.

Legislation

Federal level

On federal level only one law (competence law, COURSE) exists, which is concerned with the social welfare assistance right, and only, which canton is responsible in a case of social welfare assistance, and clarifies the remuneration under different cantons regulates, if for instance a shifts its residence into another canton. Likewise is defined in as the situation behaves with foreigners - above all refugees and stateless people - in Switzerland. Also Swiss with permanent domicile abroad are affected by it.

Kantonale level

On kantonaler level there is in each case a social welfare assistance law, which was passed by the respective parliament; and also a social welfare assistance regulation of the government, that regulates the details - for example, on how much subsidies someone has requirement. The regulation is issued by the kantonalen government.

All cantons have another legislation in the social welfare assistance. But the rules resemble each other multiple, there most cantons the guidelines of the Swiss conference for social welfare assistance (SKOS) in the respective social welfare assistance regulations legally prescribe. The guidelines are under available, but one cannot do them expressions (liable to pay the costs).

Organization

The social welfare assistance is always aligned by the Wohngemeinde of the receiver. Some municipalities possess specialized social counsellings, whatever serve as approach place for requests for social welfare assistance and observe regularly in discussions the situation of the receiver.

Local social welfare assistance authorities, which are selected in villages by the people and in cities by often a parliament, and into the executive often a representative sent, decide on requests for social welfare assistance. Also the social welfare assistance authority settles a languages against decisions. In second instance a kantonale supervisory authority is often concerned with it. As last step a dissatisfied distressed one can arrive also at the courts.

Up-to-date the social welfare assistance authorities are briefly tied up because of financial scarceness. The responsible authorities have the tendency to reject requests for social welfare assistance even if no omissions are present on the part of the needy one. They kidnap the treatment of the requests, and there they layman officials are as it were - training courses happen often only on freiwilliger basis - lack it a certain professionalism and also the knowledge of the legal situation. This can be fatal for foreigners without means and fremdsprachige in particular, who is dependent on a competent social advisor, in order not to be delivered the authorities.

See in addition: Observer, No. 4, 2005: "“Alms in small doses"”.

Numbers

Dependent on the Swiss social welfare assistance are above all unmarried ones, young people, child-rich families, farmers and long-term unemployed person. 2004 was approximately 300 ' 000 persons dependent on the social welfare assistance, which corresponds to 4 % of the total population. Reasons for the increase in the last years are continuous unemployment as well as the larger offer on jobs with low wages, which cannot cover the subsistence level any longer.

In the canton Basel city is each five tenth inhabitant and even each sieved one under 18 years dependent on the social welfare assistance. 11,2 per cent of the 18 - to 25-year old Basler referred also social welfare assistance. The same canton has by the way also, per cent-moderately, most of invalidity pensions. The social welfare assistance of the city Basel for an average case of welfare service each year 14 ' 000 Franconias (9000 "€) up. Since this monthly about 1170 Franconias correspond (see table to the basic need), explain themselves this deep number by the fact that the social welfare assistance supplements also an income, which is not existence-securing around an appropriate amount.

In all large cities depend between 3.5 and 8 % of humans on the social welfare assistance. Here the typical age distribution of the people on social security of a large city, here by the example Winterthur:

The entire social welfare assistance ratio over all person's groups is in Winterthur about 5.2%. With other cities the age distribution is distorted, points however to for instance the same sample. Over AHV old-age pensions refer and would at the most get from the social welfare assistance additions, but not the entire cost of living. If a child refers social welfare assistance achievements, then all brothers and sisters refer social welfare assistance, since the supports per household are aligned (basic need depends on the number of persons). This has the consequence that children and partially also young people are over-represented in the age statistics.

History

The Swiss conference for social welfare assistance (SKOS), which in former times was called (Switzerland. Conference for public welfare service), celebrated its hundred-year existence in the year 2005. The SKOS consists responsible government advice of all cantons of for the social welfare assistance.

The Middle Ages

In that time of the Middle Ages the social welfare assistance - rather called arm welfare service - was the thing of the church, which alms to needy one distributed. Religious medals led primitive hospitals and Hospizen, where arms were treated free of charge. At the day of death of a person it was custom to give money to such mechanisms.

In the late Middle Ages there were two developments: On the one hand the villages and cities began to maintain such poorhouses and on the other hand arms were not regarded any longer than image Christi. The arms is obligingly/pleasingly out from its condition to find, so the view.

16. to 19. Century

1551 decided the hearing of the confederation that each municipality and/or Pfarrei was to be responsible for its own arms. This corresponded also to the development in England and France: Arms are to be kept, where they are; the Zuwanderung of is finally unwanted. Likewise was one the opinion the fact that was to be helped to arms where admits its needs is - to, where they live. Arms got support however then only if it had sufficient money in the municipality cash at all.

The hearing decided 1681 that the place of residence arms for its support was to be responsible. Thus one pushed away arms, Nichtsesshaften and homeless people simply, and sometimes these fringe groups up to 10 % of the population of an area constituted.

The notorious shortness of funds changed only in 18. Century, when the municipalities funds from donations and penalties in order to have liquid means available for arms. At the same time, with the rising population and arm numbers the principle spread that the relatives of distressed ones had to be responsible for their supports.

The regulation with the place of residence made it for the authorities possible to discriminate against the people due to its material situation since one cannot lose its place of residence. Second or a third place of residence to receive is possible however only by an expensive naturalization at the residence. So that arms would not increase, one issued marriage prohibitions; only the condition of 1874 forbade a distinction of humans after social situation. One however still gave to the arms in 19. Century money, so that they emigrated to America. As "“return"” the arms for homeless one explained, so that Swiss municipality did not have to be responsible more for it.

In the second half 19. Century began the first cantons to create laws over welfare benefits; 1920 possessed finally practically all cantons over such regulations. A crucial change began 1857, when the canton Berne (canton) decided that again the residence municipality, but no more is the place of residence for the support of poor ones responsible, although at that time still 59 % of humans lived in the place of residence. To 1939 all cantons took over the residence regulation. Only with obviously domicile and homeless person needy one the place of residence the subsistence level must berappen.

20. Century

After the First World War special training programmes developed, in order to train the first social workers. They led homes for orphans and Behinderte.Es developed gradually the social security (AHV, IV, acquisition replacement EO), which a part of the previous arm welfare service took over. The SKOS offers again also training courses for social workers and members of the social welfare assistance authorities.

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