Overview
- The Bertelsmann‑commissioned survey interviewed 1,006 people aged 25 to 50 who had received benefits for at least a year, finding a majority reported no job search in the prior four weeks.
- Health constraints dominate the barriers cited, with 45% reporting psychological or chronic illness overall and about 74% among non‑searchers.
- Large service gaps are reported at Jobcenters, as 43% say they have never received a job offer and 38% report no access to training measures.
- Notable disparities appear across groups, including higher non‑search rates for women than men (about 63% vs 53%) and 11% of non‑searchers relying on occasional work.
- Bertelsmann experts urge less bureaucracy and more placement, stricter sanctions for unjustified refusals, and transfers to other support systems in severe health cases, as the government moves to rebrand Bürgergeld as Grundsicherung with tougher rules.