A higher number of senior citizens than previously are reliant on welfare benefits.
In Germany, a growing number of elderly individuals are relying on government aid in conjunction with their pension benefits. By the midpoint of 2024, a staggering 728,990 people across the country were receiving what's known as "basic security in old age," marking a 5.4% increase from the previous year, as reported by the Federal Statistical Office in response to a query from the Alliance for Progress and Social Justice (BSW), which was obtained by the AFP news agency on Tuesday. This new figure sets a record.
Females accounted for an overwhelming majority of these recipients, with a 56.6% share as of June 30, 2024.
According to the federal office, 691,820 elderly individuals were receiving such aid in June 2023, a decrease of approximately 37,000 from the present year. Compared to 2015, the number of recipients has seen a significant surge of around 39%. This was first reported by "New Osnabruecker Zeitung" on Tuesday.
Those aged 67 and above who lack sufficient pension income to meet their living expenses can qualify for "basic security in old age."
BSW chairwoman Sahra Wagenknecht criticized this trend on Tuesday, stating, "The new record in old-age poverty is another failure confessional of the coalition." She further argued that the increase in pensioners dependent on social welfare is a disgraceful situation and a disappointing verdict for the responsible minister, Heil. Wagenknecht even suggested that the true figure might be even higher since many elderly individuals avoid the embarrassment of visiting the social welfare office.
On the eve of the federal election, Wagenknecht advocated for a referendum on the implementation of an Austrian-style pension system. "If an extensively insured pensioner in Austria receives an average of more than 800 euros more per month, then it should also be conceivable in Germany," Wagenknecht reasoned.
The basic insurance, also known as "basic security in old age," is a type of aid that elderly individuals who struggle to meet their living expenses with their pension income can apply for. By 2024, the number of individuals receiving this type of basic insurance in Germany had reached 728,990, marking a 5.4% increase from the previous year.
