Klimabonus in Austria: What to do if you miss the pickup deadline for your voucher
Those receiving their €500 Klimabonus as a voucher must be at home when the official letter arrives or pick it up at the post office. But what if you miss the deadline?
Austria's federal government has already sent out this year's climate bonus (Klimabonus) payments, a €500 one-off aid to (almost) everyone who lives in the country.
Some people who have recently moved to Austria and babies born in 2023 will get their payment only in early 2023, as The Local reported. If you believe you should have received your payment and haven't, you can find more information HERE.
Those who had their bank information up to date with the FinanzOnline received the €500 bonus straight in their bank accounts, but many people in Austria got the Klimabonus as vouchers. The vouchers were sent to Austrian addresses as a secure letter - meaning people needed to be at home to sign for it or give someone power of attorney to sign and receive the mail for them.
READ ALSO: Reader question: I’ve received my Austrian Klimabonus as a voucher, now what?
If you weren't at home and didn't have anyone signing the letter for you, you must go to the post office with an official picture ID to pick it up. The mailperson leaves a note in your postbox with all the information on where to get the voucher (usually that will be the post office nearest to you), the hours the post will be open and a deadline for you to go get it.
Nobody else can do that for you, so for people who are not in Austria at the moment, that could pose a problem.
READ ALSO: Reader question: Why haven’t I received my Klimabonus in Austria yet?
How can I get my Klimabonus voucher if I miss the deadline?
If you are not in Austria or for some other reason will miss the post deadline to go pick up your voucher, there are solutions, but those will have to be discussed with the Ministry of Interior directly.
Any Klimabonus letter that was not collected from the post office will be returned to the federal government "three Mondays later" marked as undeliverable, according to the Ministry of Interior.
Your right to claim your Klimabonus does not expire as a result, though. So, you can contact the government after the end of the collection period using a web form or on 0800 8000 80 to discuss the next steps.
The authorities said they will require a description of the situation, your personal data (name and date of birth at least), a copy of your photo ID and your IBAN - meaning they will likely send you a bank transfer if possible.
READ ALSO: How could Austria’s new electricity price brake benefit you?
What is the Klimabonus?
With rising inflation, mainly due to the increasing energy costs, people in Austria have seen their salaries purchasing less and less. Because of that, the federal government announced a €6 billion package with assistance, tax cuts and one-off payments.
The main (and somewhat controversial) payment is the so-called “climate bonus and anti-inflation payment”, better known as Klimabonus in Austria. Residents of the country will receive €500 to help cushion the effects of climbing prices. Minors are entitled to half that amount.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: How Austria’s new finance measures could benefit you
The only criteria is that the recipient must have lived in Austria for at least 181 days in 2022 to be eligible for the payment. Your nationality or employment status doesn't matter – if you have spent six months legally in 2022 in the country, you will get the money.
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Austria's federal government has already sent out this year's climate bonus (Klimabonus) payments, a €500 one-off aid to (almost) everyone who lives in the country.
Some people who have recently moved to Austria and babies born in 2023 will get their payment only in early 2023, as The Local reported. If you believe you should have received your payment and haven't, you can find more information HERE.
Those who had their bank information up to date with the FinanzOnline received the €500 bonus straight in their bank accounts, but many people in Austria got the Klimabonus as vouchers. The vouchers were sent to Austrian addresses as a secure letter - meaning people needed to be at home to sign for it or give someone power of attorney to sign and receive the mail for them.
READ ALSO: Reader question: I’ve received my Austrian Klimabonus as a voucher, now what?
If you weren't at home and didn't have anyone signing the letter for you, you must go to the post office with an official picture ID to pick it up. The mailperson leaves a note in your postbox with all the information on where to get the voucher (usually that will be the post office nearest to you), the hours the post will be open and a deadline for you to go get it.
Nobody else can do that for you, so for people who are not in Austria at the moment, that could pose a problem.
READ ALSO: Reader question: Why haven’t I received my Klimabonus in Austria yet?
How can I get my Klimabonus voucher if I miss the deadline?
If you are not in Austria or for some other reason will miss the post deadline to go pick up your voucher, there are solutions, but those will have to be discussed with the Ministry of Interior directly.
Any Klimabonus letter that was not collected from the post office will be returned to the federal government "three Mondays later" marked as undeliverable, according to the Ministry of Interior.
Your right to claim your Klimabonus does not expire as a result, though. So, you can contact the government after the end of the collection period using a web form or on 0800 8000 80 to discuss the next steps.
The authorities said they will require a description of the situation, your personal data (name and date of birth at least), a copy of your photo ID and your IBAN - meaning they will likely send you a bank transfer if possible.
READ ALSO: How could Austria’s new electricity price brake benefit you?
What is the Klimabonus?
With rising inflation, mainly due to the increasing energy costs, people in Austria have seen their salaries purchasing less and less. Because of that, the federal government announced a €6 billion package with assistance, tax cuts and one-off payments.
The main (and somewhat controversial) payment is the so-called “climate bonus and anti-inflation payment”, better known as Klimabonus in Austria. Residents of the country will receive €500 to help cushion the effects of climbing prices. Minors are entitled to half that amount.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: How Austria’s new finance measures could benefit you
The only criteria is that the recipient must have lived in Austria for at least 181 days in 2022 to be eligible for the payment. Your nationality or employment status doesn't matter – if you have spent six months legally in 2022 in the country, you will get the money.
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