Bafög, tires, winter time – that changes in October

Bafög, tires, winter time – that changes in October


Referreport

The new month brings the time change and some other changes for people in Germany. The overview of the changes in October shows why drivers should check which symbol they have on their tires before putting on winter tires:

New regulation for winter tires

From October 1st, cars in winter weather conditions in Germany will only be allowed to drive with tires that have the Alpine symbol: a stylized mountain range with a snowflake in it. Previously, drivers were also allowed to use so-called M+S tires if they were manufactured before 2018.

BaföG for students

Students in need will receive more student loans starting in the winter semester. The so-called basic needs rate will increase by five percent to 475 euros. For students who no longer live at home, the flat rate for housing costs increases to 380 euros. The maximum funding amount increases by 58 euros from 934 euros to 992 euros. First-year students under the age of 25 from poorer households are also entitled to a one-off start-up grant of 1,000 euros.

Summer time ends

Summer time ends, winter time begins. We get another hour: Summer time ends in Germany and most European countries on the last Sunday in October. On the night of Sunday, October 27th, the clocks will be set back from 3 a.m. to 2 a.m.

Night trains between Berlin and Paris again

The night trains from Berlin to Paris and Brussels are running again – as scheduled from October 28th. The connection has been down since August 12th due to construction work.

New questions for the theoretical driving license test

From October 1st, learner drivers must expect new questions on the theoretical driving test. The questionnaires for different driving license classes are revised twice a year. These are reformulations and new questions.

Tenant entitlement to balcony power plants

It should be easier for tenants to install a balcony power plant. Landlords are no longer allowed to prohibit them from doing so without good reason. So-called plug-in solar devices are included in the catalog of structural changes that tenants are entitled to have approved. A corresponding change in the law has been passed by the Bundestag and approved by the Bundesrat. The law is expected to come into force in October.

News for game fans

At Essen’s leading trade fair for board games, “Spiel ’24”, new games will be presented again from October 3rd. More than 850 exhibitors from almost 50 nations present new things about card, board and dice games.

New funding for affordable, climate-friendly apartments

Anyone who builds small, inexpensive and climate-friendly apartments can receive a discounted loan of 100,000 euros per apartment from October if they meet certain criteria. The interest rate for a loan with a term of 35 years and a fixed interest rate of 10 years is around 2.0 percent to start with. Loans with a term of 10 years are available at an interest rate of around 1.0 percent.

Source: German