Health keeps many citizens' allowance recipients from job search - Germany’s long-term welfare recipients face deep poverty and job barriers
A new study from the Paritätische Gesamtverband has revealed stark deprivation among long-term Bürgergeld recipients in Germany. Published in November 2025, the research shows many live far below the poverty line, with nearly one in five unable to afford a second pair of shoes. Critics argue the findings challenge claims that benefit recipients lack work motivation.
The report also highlights systemic issues in job centre support, with 43% of long-term recipients stating they had never been offered employment assistance.
The study found that 55% of long-term Bürgergeld recipients had not searched for work in the past four weeks. However, 59% of these non-job-seeking individuals had valid reasons, such as illness or participation in training programmes. Nearly three-quarters of this group cited health problems as their main barrier to employment.
Other obstacles included a lack of suitable job openings and family responsibilities. Among the remaining 41% who were not actively job hunting, 73% were still looking for work, while 25% believed taking up employment would not improve their financial situation.
Roman Wink of the Bertelsmann Foundation suggested job centres should shift focus from bureaucracy to better placement support. Meanwhile, the Paritätische Gesamtverband criticised the study’s narrow focus on long-term recipients, arguing it distorts the broader picture of Bürgergeld claimants.
The report also documented severe material hardship, with one in three recipients unable to afford a full meal every other day—despite previous benefit increases. This contradicts narratives portraying recipients as unwilling to work, instead revealing deep financial struggles.
The findings underscore the challenges faced by long-term Bürgergeld recipients, from health-related work barriers to inadequate job centre support. With many living well below the poverty line, the study calls for reforms in both benefit levels and employment assistance. Job centres may need to rethink their approach to better address the needs of those struggling to enter the workforce.
