👨👩👧 Child poverty and family benefits at a glance
In brief
Children and young people in Germany are affected by poverty more often than average. Alongside basic income support (Grundsicherungsgeld, social assistance) there are several separate family benefits that can exclude or complement one another: child benefit (Kindergeld), child supplement (Kinderzuschlag), advance maintenance payment (Unterhaltsvorschuss) and the education and participation package. Which combination is most favourable in an individual case depends on family income, the number of children and housing costs and, if in doubt, should be checked by an advice centre.
Step by step
- Make sure you receive child benefitChild benefit is in principle due to all families regardless of income and is counted against social benefits – it should be applied for in any case before further benefits are checked.
- Check child supplement if income is just above the basic income support thresholdChild supplement is aimed at parents whose own income is enough for themselves, but not for the children.
- Check advance maintenance payment for single parentsIf the other parent pays no maintenance or too little, the Jugendamt (youth welfare office) can provide an advance maintenance payment, regardless of the income of the parent who cares for the child.
- Do not forget the education and participation packageRegardless of which of these benefits the family receives, there is usually an additional entitlement to education and participation benefits.
Deadlines
- Child benefit is counted as the child's income against basic income support and social assistance – not applying for it "to get more basic income support" does not work and only makes your situation worse.
- The immediate supplement (Sofortzuschlag) to child supplement introduced in 2024 and similar family-policy benefits change frequently; for specific euro amounts do not rely on older information, but get up-to-date advice.
- Different definitions of child poverty (the EU-SILC at-risk-of-poverty rate of official statistics vs. calculations by welfare associations) are based on different methods and should not be added together or compared without checking.
In depth · legal basis, figures and practice – for advisers and professionals
The figures according to official statistics
According to the Federal Statistical Office, in 2024 around 15.2 % of under-18s in Germany were at risk of poverty within the meaning of the EU-SILC survey – equivalent to around 2.2 million children and young people (Pressemitteilung Nr. N065 of 17 November 2025, reporting year 2024). This rate measures relative income poverty at household level, not child-specific needs.
How family benefits interact
Child benefit (§§ 62 ff. EStG or §§ 1 ff. BKGG) is paid regardless of parental income, but counted against basic income support benefits of the child. Child supplement (§ 6a BKGG) is aimed at parents with enough income for themselves but not for the children, and is thus an instrument to avoid receipt of basic income support for the whole family. Advance maintenance payment (Unterhaltsvorschussgesetz) steps in for single parents if the other parent pays no or insufficient maintenance. All four benefits can be combined with the education and participation package. The concrete design of child supplement and housing benefit where they coincide with earned income is covered in detail by the Wegweiser module "Unemployed people".
Professional assessment
In poverty research, child poverty is predominantly regarded as family poverty: children are generally poor because the household they live in is poor – single-parent households and households with several children are, according to the Armutsbericht 2025 of the Paritätischer Gesamtverband, particularly affected (single parents: 27 % poverty rate for the reporting year 2024).
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