Double budget 2025-2026: Shock for people with disabilities!

Double budget 2025-2026: Shock for people with disabilities!

Österreich - The double budget 2025 and 2026 will have a significant impact on people with disabilities, as the Austrian Disabled Council (ÖBR) states. The planned measures include both positive and negative aspects, which affect the financial relief and professional inclusion in particular. Particularly noteworthy is the planned valuation of the care allowance in the coming years, which is an improvement for many affected people.

an unlimited opportunity for people with disabilities to earn slightly for unemployment benefit was also secured. This is an important signal for integration into the labor market. However, there are also serious negative developments: the increase in the increase in family allowances are not valorized in 2026 and 2027, which leads to long -term loss of value.

negative changes in adult protection law

In addition, the government plans deterioration in adult protection law. The deadline for the renewal of a judicial adult representative should extend from three to five years. In addition, the mandatory clearing is canceled in renewal processes. These measures could significantly restrict support for affected persons.

In the area of ​​professional inclusion, the ÖBR expects a financing gap of around 35 million euros in the compensation stax fund for 2026. This could endanger the support of around 11,000 funding cases. The grant for the compensation stax fund is gradually reduced from 65 million euros to 15 million euros. This affects the labor market integration of people with disabilities.

In order to avoid the negative consequences of these cuts, the ÖBR calls for an active inclusion in the discussion about alternative financing models and the design of the cuts. Pilot projects for harmonizing personal assistance and for inclusive work will have to make do without new financial resources in 2025 and 2026, which inhibits the development of new initiatives. Klaus Widl, deputy managing director of the ÖBR, emphasizes the urgency of secure financing for central areas such as personal assistance.

Inclusion at the workplace

parallel to developments in the budget area, there are similar challenges in Germany. According to the employment agency, around 10.4 million people with disabilities live there, only about half of whom are employed or has completed training. The unemployment rate for people with disabilities is almost 11 percent, while in people without disabilities it is only 5.7 percent.

Although employers are legally obliged to hire people with disabilities or to pay a compensation tax, many hesitate to assume this responsibility. Prejudices and uncertainties still represent obstacles to the attitude. Rehabilitation consultant Marion Winger emphasizes the importance of education and openness on the employer side.

Successful examples such as that of Dariean Bahr, which became the wheelchair association due to a spinal cord infarction, show that it is possible to successfully integrate people with disabilities into the Arbeidsmarkt. With the support of the Employment Agency and its employer, Bahr was able to find a job-friendly job in the office after a rehabilitation measure. The process from planning to work only lasted seven months, and the integration measures were largely financed.

The support of employers in the employment of people with disabilities is facilitated by the employer service of the employment agency. This not only helps those affected, but also the companies that can benefit from a diverse team.