Employees and employers: Social contributions increase for employees and decrease for employers

Social contributions for employees have increased in recent years – but for employers they have decreased. The Left in the Bundestag drew attention to this, citing a response from the federal government.

Accordingly, the percentage contributions to social insurance for employees rose by 1.3 percentage points to 16.9 percent from 2002 to 2022. Contributions for employers fell by 1.6 points to 21.8 percent in the same period. The values ​​fluctuated within this period – with 17.1 percent at the top for employees in 2011 and 23.9 percent for employers in 2003.

High burden with low income

Left-wing MP Matthias Birkwald, who made the request, said that the contributions were a high burden, especially for people with low and middle incomes, also in view of inflation.

“This is also because they have to give up a higher percentage of their income than people with high and very high incomes,” said Birkwald. The politician explained the different contribution assessment limits. Income above this does not affect the contribution. Birkwald called for high incomes to be burdened as equally as possible.

For statutory health and nursing care insurance, this limit is currently 4,987.50 euros, for pension and unemployment insurance it is 7,100 euros in the east and 7,300 euros in the west. The Left is calling for the contribution assessment limit for health and nursing care insurance to be lifted.