- Living Aid - Slightly fewer recipients
The number of recipients of basic subsistence aid in Saxony-Anhalt has slightly decreased. As of the end of 2023, 6,985 people received what is commonly referred to as "welfare", according to the State Statistical Office. This is 55 people (0.8 percent) less than the previous year.
Recipients of basic subsistence aid are unable to cover their living expenses from their own means or through other social benefits, such as temporarily unemployed, early retirees with low pensions, or those with long-term illnesses. On average, those who received aid in the previous year were 49 years old.
According to the data, 1,315 children received state support, 4 percent less than the previous year. However, the proportion of women receiving basic subsistence aid has continued to rise. In 2021, it was 38 percent, and by the end of 2023, it had increased to 42.2 percent, up from 41.6 percent the previous year.
Due to immigration in recent years, there has also been an increase in the age group of those over 60. As of the end of 2023, 3,020 people in this age group received aid, 2.7 percent more than the previous year. Of these, 755 did not have German citizenship, compared to 55 at the end of 2021.
Other social benefits, such as unemployment assistance or disability allowances, might not be sufficient for some individuals to meet their basic needs. Other factors, like long-term unemployment or health issues, can contribute to the reliance on basic subsistence aid.
Despite the decrease in the number of recipients, other regions in Germany might have seen an increase, resulting in an overall other figure when considering the country as a whole.
