The German Federation of Trade Unions has called for a unified basic child protection. So far, there are separate financial posts: child benefit, tax allowances, surcharges and Hartz IV benefits. These should be replaced and converted into one payment, which consists of a basic amount of EUR 240 per child and an additional amount staggered according to income. The additional costs would total around 12.5 billion Euros annually. In Germany, every fifth child is affected by poverty.