Berne Revised Bernese Social Assistance Act to provide new incentives

The Bernese cantonal government has discussed the revised Social Assistance Act. Social welfare benefits remain unchanged in principle, as announced on Monday. The draft law will now go out for consultation.

The new law is intended to simplify administration and provide incentives for social welfare recipients and municipalities. It also implements orders from the Grand Council, as was stated at a media conference. The law is a "modernization of social welfare". The quality and uniformity of enforcement would be improved.

Among other things, the Grand Council instructed the Health, Social Affairs and Integration Directorate (GSI) to ensure that municipalities benefit financially from their success in the professional integration of social welfare recipients in the new law. "People are at the center of our efforts," said Health Director Pierre Alain Schnegg.

People who find a job and are able to get off social welfare will no longer have to pay back the benefits they previously received with their wages. This would create additional incentives to take up gainful employment.

In addition, the canton is creating additional data protection legislation in order to be able to offer the beneficiaries further administrative relief with the new case management system (NFFS). In this regard, the canton is also in constant contact with the city of Bern, which has introduced its own case management software, Citysoftnet, together with Zurich and Basel. They are also looking at how NFFS and Citysoftnet could be merged.

The current law dates back to 2001

The draft of the completely revised Social Assistance Act will now be submitted for consultation to the municipalities, social services and the relevant associations and groups. It will then be submitted to the Grand Council, which will decide and vote on it. According to current planning, the introduction is scheduled for the second half of 2026.

The current Canton of Bern Social Assistance Act has been in force since 2001 and has been partially revised a total of 19 times.