Overview

• Basic security for the elderly and those with reduced earning capacity accounted for 56.5% of SGB XII outlays, totaling €11.4 billion, up 13.3% year over year.
• Spending on help for care increased by 17.7% to €5.3 billion, with assistance for living expenses at €1.6 billion (+11.1%) and health- and hardship-related aid at €1.9 billion (+19.4%).
• More than 1.2 million people received basic security in old age or due to reduced earning capacity at the end of 2024, roughly 49,000 more than a year earlier.
• The figures exclude Jobseeker’s Basic Income under SGB II (Bürgergeld), while separately recorded integration assistance under SGB IX reached €28.7 billion net, up 12.9%.
• The government is preparing reform proposals as debate intensifies, with economist Veronika Grimm urging annual savings of €70–80 billion and a Thuringian district chief proposing interest-free loans for certain migrant benefits.