Every fifth child in Germany is at risk of poverty

Federal government promises 20 euros more per month

Child poverty remains a serious problem in Germany. Every fifth child in Germany is at risk of poverty, according to a response from the federal government to a parliamentary question from the left.

“Child poverty is a sad scandal in our rich country,” said Dietmar Bartsch, leader of the Left Party parliamentary group. The lack of equal opportunities is an unacceptable burden for future generations. And since families are suffering particularly from the currently very high prices for food and energy, urgent measures are needed to combat child poverty.

In its response, the federal government reported the latest statistical data from 2020. According to this, 20.2 percent of children and young people under the age of 18 were considered to be at risk of poverty nationwide. In the previous year, the rate was only slightly higher at 20.5 percent.

How many children grow up in families whose household income is less than 60 percent of the median income varies from state to state. The city state of Bremen has by far the highest value; there almost every second child is affected by poverty (42 percent). Saxony-Anhalt follows at a clear distance with a rate of 26.1 percent. In Bavaria, on the other hand, it is only 12.2 percent, in Baden-Württemberg 15.8 percent and in Brandenburg 16.8 percent.

“In view of the price increases, we need a consistent no-child-in-poverty plan and the introduction of basic child security, which the traffic light promised families,” explained Bartsch. The child benefit should be raised to 328 euros. For the poorest children, poverty-proof basic child security of up to 630 euros per month is also needed.

Slowly and too little

But there won’t be a quick fix. In response to the request, the Federal Ministry of Social Affairs stated that a working group would start work “shortly”. The three governing parties had agreed to create this working group in the coalition agreement. “The fact that the federal government wants to set up a working group first is bitter news,” Bartsch commented on this part of the answer.

In January, the Paritätische Wohlfahrtsverband welcomed the government coalition’s intention to introduce basic child security. It was a real milestone, it said in a statement at the time. On the way to implementation, it will become apparent “how serious the various coalition partners really are about the abolition of child poverty,” said Ulrich Schneider, who is the general manager of the Parity Association.

Schneider emphasized that the standard rates for children and adults should always be put to the test; they were calculated artificially from the start. He also urged the government not to put off the announced surcharge for children.

On Friday, the Federal Ministry of Social Affairs had now declared that the immediate surcharge would probably be launched on Wednesday. The corresponding draft law is now being voted on within the government. According to Family Minister Anne Spiegel (Greens), around 2.7 million children and young people should get 20 euros more a month.

Minister of Labor Hubertus Heil (SPD) had previously suggested ten euros per child, which was not well received by the joint association. Schneider had said that this proposal was ignorant in terms of poverty policy and an affront. “Anyone who knows how poor families are really doing also knows that noticeable relief is needed quickly,” says Schneider. There is no getting around it: “Money helps against poverty.” Whether 20 euros make a significant difference remains to be seen.

Ideas on how children could be helped quickly are also available elsewhere. Just a few days ago, the neoliberal Ifo Institute in Munich proposed that a “Participation Allowance” to introduce This could reduce the risk of poverty for millions of children, it said in a statement.

The institute understands the “participation benefit” as a variant of basic child security that is intended to help single parents, poorer families and families with many children. To this end, existing services are to be bundled and replaced, for example child benefit and child supplement.

In this way, children would be decoupled from basic security. And with the increasing income of the parents, the “participation allowance” should also be lower. “The proportion of children at risk of poverty could drop by up to 11 percentage points,” says Ifo expert Maximilian Blömer about the proposal.
(Bernd Mueller)

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