South Korea's government will shift to automatic payments for universal benefits like child allowances and expand ex officio applications for vulnerable households to address welfare blind spots caused by data lags and inter-agency barriers.
Germany plans to automatically disburse child benefits to parents of newborns starting next year, eliminating the need for applications. However, the government is also considering significant cuts to parental allowance (Elterngeld), drawing sharp criticism from various political factions.
Germany plans to reform child benefit payments starting in 2027, aiming to simplify the process and provide more support to families. The new system, debated in the Bundestag, intends to make payments automatic, unbureaucratic, and faster, potentially eliminating around 300,000 initial applications annually.
A welfare 'apprenticeship penalty' is causing disadvantaged young people to abandon valuable training opportunities, with families losing up to £340 per week in benefits when their 16-year-old enters an apprenticeship. Benefit rules classify apprentices as 'independent workers', stripping parents of child benefit and universal credit elements. The Social Security Advisory Committee warns this forces families to choose between the child's long-term career and short-term financial survival, with some young people becoming NEET as a result. There are now 957,000 NEETs in the UK – the highest level in a decade.
