The federal government acknowledges that there is a significant number of unreported cases of misuse of social benefits. A spokesperson for the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (BMAS) informed “Welt am Sonntag” of this issue.
According to the ministry, the Jobcenters initiated approximately 133,640 procedures in 2025 regarding benefit misuse. In roughly 110,000 of these cases, the suspicion was confirmed or formal police reports were filed based on strong suspicions. Administrative violations were also included in the recorded instances. However, the spokesperson noted that data from Jobcenters operating solely under municipal control is unavailable, meaning the reported figures only cover documented cases. Consequently, the federal government estimates that the true extent of the problem is considerably larger. The BMAS stated that misuse often remains undiscovered because various responsible agencies are not adequately networked or connected.
The financial extent of the damage cannot be precisely calculated. The spokesperson confirmed that neither the Ministry of Labour nor the Ministry of the Interior possesses “structured data that would allow for a quantification of the damages.” Therefore, the potential savings resulting from the federal government’s planned initiatives remain unpredictable.
As part of its action plan to fight social benefit misuse, the federal government plans to improve data sharing between all involved authorities. Additionally, access to benefits for EU citizens will be regulated more strictly. Under current legal frameworks, foreigners could receive basic subsistence benefits even if they cannot prove a residence permit, provided they have lived in Germany for five years. The planned legislative change requires that foreign nationals prove they have a valid residence permit in Germany during the period they receive these benefits. This new measure is intended to make it more difficult for social benefits to be misused.
