Germany's Poverty Rate Hits Record 16.1 Percent
Joachim Rock, executive director of the association, painted a stark picture of a society fracturing along economic, regional, and demographic lines.
"Social divisions in Germany are widening. 13.3 million people live in poverty, and the poverty rate has risen to 16.1 percent. At the same time, the gap between regions and demographic groups is growing. While poverty is increasing overall, it is becoming particularly entrenched among older adults, women, and single parents," Rock said in a statement.
He issued a pointed warning against further austerity, cautioning that fiscal cuts risk accelerating political radicalization.
"We are seeing a society that is drifting further apart socially. People can feel this. Discussing yet more cuts now fuels fear and uncertainty. This plays into the hands of populists and extremists," he added.
Under the EU's definition, individuals are classified as at risk of poverty when their income falls below 60% of the national median — a threshold set at €1,446 (approximately $1,683) per month for a single-person household and €3,036 for a household comprising two adults and two children under the age of 14.
The report laid bare the scale of everyday hardship, revealing that 6.9% of the population lacked sufficient income last year to cover routine living costs — including rising energy bills and the replacement of essential household appliances.
The data exposes particularly alarming vulnerability among the elderly: with a poverty rate of 19.5%, nearly one in five Germans aged 65 and older is now affected. Among women over 75, that figure climbs even higher to 21.3%. Those living alone face a poverty risk of 30.3%, while single parents are not far behind at 28.9%.
Rock closed with a blunt rebuke of proposed welfare cuts, warning that dismantling the safety net will deepen rather than resolve the crisis.
"The fact that older people — after a long working life — and households with children are particularly affected highlights the existing shortcomings in the welfare state. Implementing further cuts does not combat crises; it exacerbates them," Rock warned.
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