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Parents and children on the playground: Less demand for parental allowance, slightly more for parental allowance Plus

Photo: Christoph Soeder/dpa

The number of people receiving parental allowance in this country fell last year: around 1.8 million women and men received parental allowance in 2023, as the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reports. That was 4.3 percent less compared to the previous year.

For the first time since the statistics were introduced, figures on single parents receiving parental allowance were also published: in 2023 there were around 50,400 people. Almost 98 percent of them were women.

The so-called father share remained almost unchanged at 26.2 percent. In 2015, the proportion of men among all those receiving parental allowance was 20.9 percent and had risen continuously until 2021.

In a comparison of federal states, as in the previous year, Saxony was the leader in terms of the proportion of fathers receiving parental allowance. The proportion was 30.1 percent, followed by Baden-Württemberg with 28.4 percent and Bavaria (28.2) and Thuringia (28.1). The proportion of fathers was lowest in 2023 – also like the previous year – in Saarland (20.4).

Women receive parental allowance for significantly longer – and the trend is rising

There were clear differences between men and women when it came to the length of time they received parental allowance: While women received parental allowance for an average of 14.8 months in 2023, the period men aimed for was only 3.7 months on average. While the planned duration for mothers has increased continuously in recent years, it has remained practically constant for fathers.

The statisticians do not give any reasons for the decline. But by 2023, the birth rate had reached its lowest level since 2009.

Destatis also noted an increase in the receipt of Parental Allowance Plus. It is aimed primarily at parents who want to return to work earlier.

The monthly amount is usually lower than the so-called basic parental allowance, but it is paid for longer. Overall, the proportion of recipients of parental allowance who also planned at least part of their parental allowance to receive parental allowance plus was 34.8 percent. In the previous year the value was 32.8 percent.

Both values ​​are significantly higher than in 2016 in the first year after the introduction of Parental Allowance Plus. At that time the share was 20.1 percent.

From April onwards, parents can only receive basic parental allowance for one month at the same time, within the first twelve months of the child's life (read a comment here).

The income limit above which there is no longer any entitlement to parental allowance will be reduced to 200,000 euros from April. From April 2025, a limit of 175,000 euros will apply. Previously this limit was 300,000 euros. With the cuts, the federal government wants to save up to 500 million euros annually.

kko/dpa-AFX