Across Germany, an increasing number of retirees are relying on basic social security benefits, a form of welfare assistance. Figures released indicate that approximately 742,000 seniors received supplemental social assistance alongside their pensions as of March 2025, representing the highest number ever recorded.
This marks a significant increase since 2020, when the total stood at roughly 564,000, a rise of approximately 178,000 individuals. The data was compiled in response to a query from René Springer, the AfD parliamentary group’s spokesperson for social policy, according to the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung” (NOZ).
Of the recipients, nearly 480,000 are German citizens, accounting for 65 percent of the total. A further 262,000 individuals, representing 35 percent of recipients, are foreign nationals. Notably, this group includes almost 98,000 Ukrainian citizens, a five-fold increase compared to figures from 2020.
Germany has welcomed 1.2 million Ukrainian refugees since the onset of the conflict over three years ago. These individuals are not required to apply for asylum and are eligible for social benefits, including basic social security and citizen’s income. Government data also reveals that around 35,000 retirees originating from the eight principal asylum countries – including Afghanistan, Eritrea, Somalia and Syria – are receiving support. The number of benefit recipients from these nations has also risen, increasing from approximately 24,000 in 2020.
