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Last minute of March 9, 2021 at 5:45 p.m. Long-awaited victory. After more than three hours of debate, the Senators gathered in public session adopted the bill allowing to no longer take into account the income of the spouse in the calculation of the AAH. It must now be submitted again to the deputies.
Initial article from March 3, 2021
The Senate Social Affairs Committee accepted, this Wednesday, March 3, 2021, the principle of deconjugalization of the calculation of the AAH (Disabled Adult Allowance), that is to say the fact of no longer taking spouse's income account, already adopted by the National Assembly in February 2020 (article in link below). But he decided to modify certain points of the initial text to avoid that there are losers. Update on this major measure, claimed for years by the associations and people concerned.
44,000 losers
In the amount of 902 euros per month (maximum for a single person), the AAH now has more than 1.2 million beneficiaries, of whom 270,000 are in torque, according to DREES data. “It is an order of magnitude and not a precise figure”, specifies Philippe Mouiller (Senator LR-Deux-Sèvres), rapporteur of the text. Among them, 196,000 would be winners with an average gain of 300 euros per month. Conversely, 44,000 would be losers with an average drop of 270 euros per month, of which 21% would lose their AAH in full. A concrete example, that of a couple with two children. Nadine, 53, ill, receives 900 euros per month (benefits + salary maintenance); her spouse, Michael, is unemployed without benefits. Today, the amount of the AAH received by Nadine is 902.70 euros. With the initial text voted by the National Assembly, it would only be 539.30 euros with nevertheless an increase in its activity bonus. Another example, that of a couple of two beneficiaries of the AAH, Gaëtan, 41 years old , and Natacha, 38, working in ESAT and childless. Their cumulative ceiling of AAH and guaranteed income received in ESAT is increased by 30%. Gaëtan earns 773 euros per month and Natacha 736. Today, the amount of their AAH is each 794.80 euros. With the initial text, they would only receive 555.10 euros for Gaëtan and 581.80 for Natacha.
A transitional measure for 10 years
“The number of losers was too high for a so-called social justice measure, especially since it affected the lowest categories in terms of income, explains Philippe Mouiller , which is why the senators did not wish to give an assent to the text voted by the deputies”. The Senate therefore decided to propose a transitional mechanism allowing potential losers to benefit from the current system for ten years. But this scheme would only concern those who already receive the AAH, not new beneficiaries, and would cost 140 million euros. This text also modifies the wording of the deputies to reintroduce the cap on the accumulation of the AAH with the beneficiary's own resources. And in ten years? “We obviously have a feeling of incompleteness”, specifies the senator, and “it will be necessary by then to rework this subject with all the nuances to be brought, in particular within the framework of the next old age and autonomy law”, adds Catherine Deroche. (LR–Maine-et-Loire), president of the Senate Social Affairs Committee.
A hybrid allocation
Contrary to the 20 billion euros which had been mentioned by the government for the cost of such a measure, the Senate, based on data from the DREES, produced a much tighter figure, i.e. 560 million, “ which, in view of the 11 billion annual budget of the AAH, is quite bearable”, specifies Philippe Mouiller. According to him, “the AAH has always had a hybrid character, between social minimum and compensation benefit. By taking her out of the work of the minimum activity income, the government has in fact recognized that she was not a social minimum like the others. By agreeing to remove the income of the spouse from the base of resources taken into account, the commission has listened to the aspirations for autonomy of the beneficiaries as a couple”.
What now?
The text will be debated in public session in the Senate on Tuesday, March 9, 2021 in the afternoon. And after ? Since it has been modified, the text must be resubmitted to the Assembly. The calendar remains to be defined but Philippe Mouiller hopes that political parties will seize it before the end of the five-year term within the framework of a parliamentary niche which allows a political group to submit a bill. “We are aware that the pressure is strong on the part of the government”, he specifies, because, let us remember, he continues to oppose this measure (article in link below). The senator says he is despite everything “optimistic” for the future, strong from the evolution observed within the Senate, since, two years ago, he had rejected this proposal. "With the debate on the 5th branch autonomy, we are able to move the lines and this is the strongest message that we wish to convey in favor of the autonomy of disabled people".
