A growing number of retirees in Germany are increasingly reliant on basic social security benefits, commonly known as “Grundsicherung im Alter”. Data reveals that approximately 742,000 seniors received supplemental social assistance alongside their pensions in March 2025, representing the highest number ever recorded.
This figure marks a significant increase since 2020, when approximately 564,000 individuals received similar support. The rise of roughly 178,000 recipients, according to a response from the Federal Ministry of Labor, was prompted by a request from René Springer, the AfD parliamentary group’s spokesperson for social policy.
Analysis of the beneficiaries indicates that nearly 480,000, or 65 percent, are German citizens. Approximately 262,000 foreign nationals also benefit from the Grundsicherung im Alter, accounting for 35 percent of the total. Within this group, nearly 98,000 are Ukrainian citizens, a fivefold increase compared to 2020.
Germany has welcomed 1.2 million Ukrainian refugees since the start of the Russian invasion over three years ago. These individuals are exempt from the asylum application process and are eligible for social benefits, including the basic social security benefit alongside other programs. In addition, government data reveals that around 35,000 retirees from the eight leading asylum countries – including Afghanistan, Eritrea, Somalia and Syria – are receiving equivalent support. The number of recipients from these nations has also risen, increasing from approximately 24,000 in 2020.