A survey published this week by the organisation Pro Familia shows that 52% of families across Switzerland are struggling to make ends meet. For many families in Switzerland, money is tight or insufficient to cover all living expenses. The percentage finding themselves in this position rose from 47% to 52%. The rising cost of health […]
New weight loss drugs likely to push up premiums
Since the beginning of March, Swiss health insurance companies have been covering the cost of Wegovy, a weight loss product, reported SRF. Previously, Ozempic, a drug also used by diabetics, was being prescribed for weight loss. Going forward, it is expected that the drugs Wegovy and Saxenda will be prescribed for weight loss instead of […]
Child welfare set to be cut to help pension funding
This week, Switzerland’s parliament voted to eliminate child support payments paid to pensioners, reported SRF. In Switzerland, parents typically receive payments for every child that is at school or in higher education up to a maximum age of 25. For most, the payments are connected with employment and funded out of the social security taxes […]
Church tax – should Swiss companies be forced to pay?
Individuals can opt out of church tax in most cantons. But companies rarely can, despite many having no connection with a church or a religion. The topic has been a hot political subject for a long time in Switzerland and came back under the spotlight this week when the canton of Bern discussed making it […]
No rise in Switzerland’s rent rate this quarter
After two increases in a row the reference interest rate used for adjusting rents remains unchanged this quarter. After two rises from 1.25% to 1.75% last year, many tenants in Switzerland will be breathing a sigh of relief. Many economists forecast no increases in the rate this year. Every quarter the rate of interest used […]
Switzerland’s marriage tax penalty back in the spotlight
Married couples in Switzerland are taxed together, unlike unmarried couples who are taxed individually. This often acts as a tax disincentive for one spouse to work, disproportionately affecting women. For many years, certain political parties have been pushing to remove what is essentially discrimination on the basis of marital status. The issue came back into […]
More than 17,000 drivers fined in a month on one Zurich street
At the end of September 2023, driving was banned on a 60 metre section of Langstrasse in Zurich. To enforce the ban, cameras were later set up on 8 January 2024 to catch and fine errant drivers. Since then 17,310 fines have been issued. The driving ban, which excludes buses, was introduced to make the […]
Higher Swiss pensions – voter support narrows
Support for the popular initiative to boost state pensions by 1/13 narrowed from 61% to 53% between 14 January and 10 February, according to a poll published by RTS. Voting intentions vary significantly by age. In the latest poll, people under 40 were most against it (55%), possibly because they know they will probably need […]
Swiss government deficit larger than predicted
The federal government spent less in 2023 than budgeted but overestimated revenue. The net effect was an additional unexpected shortfall of CHF 1.4 billion, reported SRF. At a media conference this week, finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter said that the Federal Council was not aiming to raise a taxes to fund the additional shortfall. Raising taxes […]
Swiss inflation drops to 1.3%
Over the 12 months to the end of January 2024, annual inflation in Switzerland fell from 3.4% to 1.3%. The latest rate is 0.4 percentage points lower than a month earlier – it was 1.7% at the end of December 2023. At the same time, on a monthly basis, inflation rose from 0% in December […]