A growing number of retirees in Germany are increasingly reliant on state-provided basic security in old age, commonly referred to as “basic security in old age”. Official figures reveal that approximately 742,000 seniors received this form of social assistance alongside their pensions as of March 2025 – the highest number on record.
This represents a significant increase since 2020, when the figure stood at roughly 564,000, marking an overall rise of approximately 178,000 recipients. The data, obtained from a parliamentary inquiry to the Federal Ministry of Labor, underscores a growing trend in the country’s aging population and its socio-economic challenges.
Among those receiving basic security in old age, German citizens constitute the majority, with nearly 480,000 individuals, representing approximately 65% of the total. Foreign nationals receiving support number around 262,000, or 35% of recipients. A considerable portion of this group comprises Ukrainian citizens, with almost 98,000 currently receiving assistance, demonstrating a five-fold increase compared to the figures recorded in 2020.
Since the onset of the Russian invasion over three years ago, Germany has welcomed 1.2 million Ukrainian refugees. These individuals are exempt from asylum application procedures and are eligible for social welfare programs, including basic security in old age and the citizen’s allowance. Government data also indicates support for approximately 35,000 retirees originating from the eight primary asylum countries, including Afghanistan, Eritrea, Somalia and Syria. The number of recipients from these nations has also seen a notable increase, rising from roughly 24,000 in 2020.
