Millions of children in Germany are dependent on social security, and the number of foreign beneficiaries is increasing
Germany maintains a social landscape that represents a reality that nearly two million children in the country depend on, as they receive basic economic support with their parents. This number is similar to the statistics from 2015, and was revealed by an evaluation carried out by the Federal Employment Agency.
Children in Germany rely on benefits
The raw numbers go beyond statistics to paint a picture of a striking social development. In the current period, the number of German children receiving the citizen’s allowance fell from 1.57 million children in 2025 to 1.03 million children in March 2023.
On the other hand, the number of foreign children receiving benefits has risen to 935,000, compared to 365,000 in 2015. This means that the percentage of foreign children relying on social support is now around 48%, up from 19% eight years ago.
On the other hand, the influx of more than 300,000 children from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and other countries to Germany since 2015 has had a significant impact on shaping the social landscape, in addition to the arrival of around 270,000 children from Ukraine as of 2022, following the outbreak of the Russian war.
Political and social voices are warning of the consequences of increasing social benefits, as it is believed that they will not encourage individuals to participate in the labor market but may increase their dependence on government support.
Experts in social affairs also oppose this approach, emphasizing that child poverty often reflects the poverty of their working parents, and therefore the challenges lie in finding comprehensive solutions to this complex issue.
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