A recent report from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reveals significant disparities in parental allowance (Elterngeld) benefit levels and duration for fathers and mothers in Germany during 2024.
Approximately one-third (32%) of fathers receiving parental allowance in 2024 qualified for the maximum monthly allowance of €1,800 for basic parental allowance or €900 for parental allowance Plus during their initial claim month. This contrasts with mothers, where only one in eight (12%) received the maximum allowance in their first month of entitlement. Overall, 17% of parents qualified for the highest benefit tier, based on a pre-birth average gross monthly income, after deducting standard taxes and social security contributions, of at least €2,770.
Conversely, 21% of parents received the minimum allowance, amounting to €300 for basic parental allowance or €150 for parental allowance Plus. Among fathers, this constituted 7% of recipients, while mothers accounted for a considerably larger proportion, at 26%.
Monthly average allowance payments also differ substantially. Fathers received an average of €1,337 per month, significantly higher than the €830 average received by mothers. This difference is attributable to two key factors: a higher rate of employment among fathers prior to the birth (96% compared to 76% for mothers) and a notably higher pre-birth average gross monthly income for employed fathers (€2,344) compared to employed mothers (€1,789).
However, the overall allowance received presents a reversed pattern. Fathers who received parental allowance in 2024 claimed an average total of €4,185. Mothers, on the other hand, averaged a considerably larger total of €11,462. This difference primarily reflects the duration of parental allowance claims, with fathers typically receiving benefits for a shorter period – an average of 3.8 months – compared to the 14.8 months average duration for mothers.