Reports indicate a rise in cases of organized fraud related to Germany’s citizen’s income benefit, Bürgergeld, in 2024. According to data released by the German government in response to a query from the Green Party, Job Centers recorded 421 instances of “organized benefit abuse” this year.
This represents a significant increase from the 229 cases documented in 2023, a period during which 52 resulted in criminal charges. In 2024, 209 of the recorded cases led to the filing of formal charges.
Currently, approximately 5.5 million individuals receive Bürgergeld.
Timon Dzienus, a Green Party Member of Parliament, commented on the figures, emphasizing the need for a more factual and data-driven approach to the ongoing debate surrounding Bürgergeld, moving away from emotional and inflammatory rhetoric.
Andreas Audretsch, Deputy Parliamentary Group Chairman for the Green Party, expressed skepticism regarding the potential for substantial savings related to Bürgergeld, questioning previously stated figures put forward by opposition leaders. He noted that the government has yet to conduct its own calculations to assess the actual potential for cost reductions, suggesting that projected savings may be overestimated.
