German Child Benefit Payments Abroad Surge Over Tenfold by 2025

The number of children living abroad receiving German child benefits has nearly tripled since 2011, reaching 291,292 by the end of 2025, according to data from the Federal Employment Agency (BA). Payments sent to foreign bank accounts have skyrocketed from €45.7 million in 2011 to approximately €528 million in 2025, marking a 1055% increase.

The majority of foreign beneficiaries are from Poland, with 112,384 children receiving benefits, followed by 33,872 from the Czech Republic and 32,459 from Romania. This dramatic rise has sparked political debate, with Sahra Wagenknecht, founder of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), demanding a complete halt to child benefits payments for children living abroad. She criticized the system, stating, "The German state is being taken advantage of like a Christmas goose," and urged policymakers to prioritize support for people in German regions facing economic hardships.

However, stopping these payments outright is legally challenging due to current EU regulations. These laws allow German workers under certain conditions to claim child benefits for their children residing in other EU countries, limiting Germany’s ability to impose a general payment stop.

This growing trend raises important questions about social policy and fiscal responsibility in Germany, highlighting the tension between domestic economic concerns and obligations under EU law. The substantial increase in financial outflows to child benefit recipients abroad underscores the complex challenges facing German policymakers in balancing support for families both domestically and across borders.