Energy crisis - help and tips

As announced by the Erlanger Stadtwerke (ESTW), higher electricity and gas prices will also apply in Erlangen from February 1, 2023. In the meantime, the so-called price brakes have been set in motion by the legislature and, of course, the legal requirements will be implemented as quickly as possible. Further information from the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection on the price brakes can be found under the following links: FAQ list on the electricity price brake ; FAQ list on the heat and gas price brake .

The gas prices of ESTW are below the gas price brake (12 ct/kWh) in all special products of the ERconomy family. Also with electricity there are different tariffs, which lie under or on the level of the work price cap (40 ct/kWh). About the further implementation the ESTW informs on its Internet side (www.estw.de) and writes affected customers accordingly.

Here: Contact customer center ESTW

On January 1, 2023, the largest housing benefit reform to date came into force. The new regulations are intended to provide targeted support for families, single parents and pensioners*. In particular for pensioners, inhabitants of old people's or nursing homes, families and single parents, whose income is not sufficient, in order to be able to carry the costs of the living, the application is worthwhile itself. Likewise, students and trainees who are not entitled to Bafög, for example, and recipients of unemployment benefit I or short-time allowance may be eligible for housing benefit. The housing allowance calculator of the Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Construction can provide an initial indication of whether there is an entitlement to housing allowance and, if so, the amount. Here: Housing allowance calculator

Here: More information

People who are capable of earning a living and are in difficulty due to a sharp rise in heating cost deductions on a relatively low income can apply to the Erlangen Job Center for benefits under Social Code II. However, please contact the Jobcenter hotline in advance at 09131 / 86-2444. A callback can then clarify whether an application for benefits would have a chance of success. Same applies also, if due to a high heating cost back payment in a month assistance neediness could exist.

For current back payments, which cannot be brought up even, there is for humans, who refer achievements after the SGB II, the possibility of the granting of a loan. There must be an emergency situation, this is usually the threat of a power cut by the electricity supplier, as far as with this no installment payment can be agreed. The goal is to maintain the power supply.

Nebenkostennachzahlungen, which can include heating costs, are taken over in the month of the maturity, if in this month assistance neediness is present after the social law book II or XII. This support must be requested with the job center and/or with the department social assistance of the social office.

Also the Erlanger public utilities (ESTW) offer assistance, before gas or river are turned off. It is important, however, that those affected get in touch in good time if, for example, they have received a reminder. It can then help options such as installment payments (agreement with Erlanger Stadtwerke) or possibly even the assumption of electricity debts (state or municipal agencies, other aid providers, eg Social Welfare Office, Erlanger Jobcenter, churches, foundations, etc.) be agreed or applied for.


Here: Contact and more information

For electricity back payments that cannot be raised themselves, there is the possibility of granting a loan for people who receive benefits under SGB II. There must be an emergency, this is usually the threat of a power cut by the electricity supplier, as far as with this no installment payment can be agreed. The goal is to maintain the power supply.

Nebenkostennachzahlungen, which can include heating costs, are taken over in the month of the maturity, if in this month assistance neediness is present after the social law book II or XII. This support must be requested with the job center and/or with the department social assistance of the social office.

Also the Erlanger public utilities (ESTW) offer assistance, before gas or river are turned off. It is important, however, that those affected get in touch in good time if, for example, they have received a reminder. Then assistance possibilities can be agreed upon and/or requested such as installment payments (agreement with Erlanger public utilities) or if necessary even the assumption of current debts (national and/or local places, other assistance carriers, e.g. social welfare office, job center, churches, donations etc.).

Also the Erlanger public utilities (ESTW) offer assistance, before gas or river are turned off. However, it is important that those affected get in touch in good time if, for example, they have received a reminder. Then assistance possibilities can be agreed upon and/or requested such as installment payments (agreement with Erlanger public utilities) or if necessary even the assumption of electricity debts (national and/or local authorities, other assistance carriers, e.g. social welfare office, churches, donations etc.).

The Social Pedagogical Service of the Housing Department supports you if you are threatened by the loss of your rented apartment. A housing emergency can occur quickly if, for example, rent debts or energy debts arise. Please do not wait too long, but contact us in a timely manner.

Here: contact and more information

If you have become homeless and there is no place for you to live, the Housing Department can temporarily place you in emergency housing.  

Here: Contact and more information 

If the loss of the apartment threatens, legal advice on tenancy law by the city of Erlangen is not possible. Here you need to contact a lawyer or consumer advice if necessary. However, people with low incomes usually cannot afford advice from a lawyer. They get support for this through the Counseling Assistance of the Erlangen District Court.

Both the city and the Erlanger Stadtwerke (ESTW) offer energy advice. For low-income households, the ESTW also offers energy-saving helpers. With an on-site date it is examined, which devices are "current gobblers" and like river and water to be saved can.

Here: ESTW - energy savings aids

Here: City of Erlangen - energy counselling

Saving potential gives it in any case by the turning down of the room temperature. Under 15 degrees should not be heated however, in order to avoid mold formation at buildings.

Round around the energy crisis and rising costs also the people university offers solution beginnings. Thus the economist Benjamin Lochner (Friedrich Alexander University) explains on Thursday, February 2, at 19.00 o'clock, the mechanisms of the present inflation, causes and effects as well as possible instruments of the inflation fight. Erich Hochholdinger, energy consultant of the Erlanger public utilities, explains on Thursday, 9 February, at 18:00 o'clock, how one can save heating and electricity costs in the own four walls. Finally Verena Zepter, chief of the Caritas debtor advisory service, has Tipps and cheats ready for price-conscious purchase and an economical household management on Thursday, 16 February, at 18:00 o'clock. The lectures take place in each case in the Friedrichstrasse 19 (historical hall). The entrance is free in each case. For a registration in the Internet under www.vhs-erlangen.de one asks.

The Office of Environmental Protection and Energy Affairs gives a few simple tips: 

Properly ventilate: Do not leave windows tilted, but open the windows wide and ventilate, turning off the heating, because the thermostat in the heater measures the temperature and controls it automatically when the temperature in the room changes.

Room temperature: Do not go below 15 degrees, otherwise there is a risk of mold. Radiators should be free and not hung up or dusty, so that the heat can be well delivered

Insulating properties of windows and doors: this you can easily and improve yourself. So you can close shutters completely. With thick curtains, the energy loss can be minimized. If there is a lot of drafts: help yourself with insulation boards or foam rubber. 

With the proclamation of the alarm stage of the emergency plan gas an urgent appeal of the Federal Government goes to industry, public mechanisms and private households to save energy. 

The city of Erlangen follows its model role and took in the last year a set of measures for the information and consultation as well as for the energy conservation. These include, among other things, an expanded range of information and advice from the city and municipal utilities on energy issues and intensified tenant communication by the municipal housing association GEWOBAU. In addition, an information meeting for Erlangen companies has already taken place in September.  

The civil engineering department has already implemented immediate measures to save energy in July last year. Thus in the area of the old part of town in the night hours the illuminations at the Altstädter Dreifaltigkeitskirche and the city museum (Martin Luther place), at the Markgräflichen lock, palace Stutterheim and Paulibrunnen (lock place) as well as at the house of the church at the plank place were switched off. Also before the summer break, the municipal utilities stopped the heating of the outdoor pools and lowered the water temperature in the indoor pools. 

To save energy, the city of Erlangen switched off the lighting of the Werner-von-Siemens-Straße (elevated road) and the Münchener Straße (access highway A73) permanently in the Christmas week. Due to the shutdown, there are no conflicts with pedestrian or bicycle traffic. The exception are two lights at the beginning of Münchener Straße and on Werner-von-Siemens-Straße, which also illuminate the area of the bus stop and thus continue to be operated for reasons of traffic safety. 

The city may defer some or all of your business and property taxes. This means you may be able to pay your taxes later. However, deferral is only permitted if immediate collection of the claim, i.e. immediate payment, would cause you considerable hardship and the claim is not jeopardized by the deferral.

If you wish to take advantage of a deferral of business and property tax, you must submit a written deferral request to the city administration. You must also provide reasons for the request. The city must be provided with a timely picture of the economic circumstances so that the factual requirements for granting a deferral can be examined in each individual case. The hardship is only significant if you were unable to prepare for the fulfillment of the tax debt in a timely manner or if you are currently in unfavorable economic circumstances. The reference alone to the energy crisis or to increased energy costs and prices is not sufficient as a justification for a deferral request.

The city of Erlangen waives the usual deferral interest when deferring municipal taxes and other deferrals as a result of increased energy costs until June 30, 2023. This was decided by the City Council's Main, Finance and Personnel Committee at its meeting on November 16, 2022. This temporary extension of the procedural tax relief for affected companies was made possible by the Federal Ministry of Finance and recommended by the Bavarian Association of Cities. In order to improve liquidity at companies, tax receivables can (continue to) be deferred as one measure. The usual deferral interest of 0.5 percent per month is waived as long as the debtor of a due tax payment is directly affected by the consequences of the increased energy costs and explains or proves this in the individual case.

The city treasury is responsible for the deferral of trade and property taxes. For other taxes, such as real estate transfer tax or income tax installment payments, the Finanzamt is responsible.

Here: Contact Stadtkämmerei

The Nuremberg Chamber of Industry and Commerce for Middle Franconia (IHK) has summarized an overview for companies on the topic of "energy crisis"

Here: Link to IHK

The cost of the "December discount" 2022 for gas and heat is borne by the federal government. The law for this came into force on November 19, 2022. Landlords pass on the relief to tenants with the next annual operating cost statement, any overpayments already made in December will be taken into account accordingly.

Here: More information