Vienna lowers the minimum income for thousands of people — major changes in the social welfare system in 2026!
Vienna is preparing to tighten the rules regarding who can receive the minimum income support, with extensive changes set to take effect in early 2026. According to the office of city council member for social affairs Peter Hacker (SPÖ), the plan aims to reduce the city's social welfare budget by approximately 200 million euros.
Under the new plan, holders of subsidiary protection will no longer be eligible for minimum social security. Instead, they will be included in the basic assistance system, which provides fewer benefits. This change will apply to both new and current beneficiaries of subsidiary protection. Authorities expect to amend national laws in line with the European Charter on asylum and migration.
Vienna will also reconsider the way support for shared housing is calculated. Couples and residents in shared apartments will be treated as one household instead of separate households, which will lead to a reduction in total payments. However, there will be exceptions, such as people with disabilities in assisted housing and single mothers living in multi-generational homes. Programs to incentivize youth will also be expanded, while special payments for the elderly and those unable to work will be reduced.
According to the Office of Social Affairs, the number of beneficiaries of the minimum income in Vienna has already decreased. Currently, about 135,000 people rely on this support, compared to 138,000 people a year ago. More than half of them are outside the labor market, including many children and people with disabilities. This support is mostly used as a supplementary benefit because the family's income is not enough to exceed the minimum social security of 1,209 euros per month for individuals.
Social organizations have sharply criticized this plan. Maria Katharina Moser, director of the Diakonie organization, warned that these cuts could push many people into 'extreme poverty and homelessness.' Klaus Schwertner from Caritas Vienna expressed similar concerns, emphasizing that families with children would be the most affected. He stated that reducing social security 'is not an austerity program, but a threat to social cohesion.'
In contrast, the FPÖ and ÖVP parties and the Industrialists' Association in Vienna (IV) welcomed this step, but called for further cuts. Johannes Horhan, the director general of the association, praised the measures as a 'step in the right direction,' but criticized the city for not achieving budget balance solely through spending cuts. This step has revealed sharp political and social divisions in Vienna, as the city prepares for one of the largest social welfare reforms in recent years.