In 2025, foreign beneficiaries of social welfare in households with minor children received a total of €12.2 billion in benefits, representing 59.4 percent of the total €20.54 billion paid out in this budget group, according to data obtained by the Alternative for Germany (AfD) from the federal government.
Ukrainian nationals made up the largest share among foreign recipients, accounting for €3.44 billion. They were followed by Syrians with €2.2 billion and Afghans with around €1 billion. Together, these three groups received roughly €6.7 billion, amounting to 55 percent of the benefits paid to foreigners in households with minor children.
These figures for welfare, also called citizens’ money, cover both single parents and couples with children. The money covers accommodation, heating, and social security contributions.
AfD MP René Springer told Bild newspaper: “Anyone who, as a foreigner, cannot permanently secure their livelihood on their own will lose their residence permit.”
He further added on X: “What could we do with these 12 billion euros? Lower fuel prices. Ease the burden on families. Improve care services. Keep hospitals open across the country. But the federal government is pouring this money into immigration into the welfare system. A government like this is at war with its own people. We will put an end to this policy. We will use these billions for our own people. For those who get up every day, work hard and don’t know how they’ll make ends meet at the end of the month.”
Heute schon Bild-Zeitung gelesen?
6 von 10 Familien im Bürgergeld sind gar keine deutschen Familien.
6 von 10 Familien, die uns jährlich 12 Milliarden Euro kosten.
Was könnte man mit diesen 12 Milliarden tun?
– Familien entlasten
– Pflegesituation verbessern
– Krankenhäuser in der Fläche erhalten
– Spritpreise senken
Doch die Bundesregierung steckt dieses Geld in die Einwanderung in die Sozialsysteme. Eine solche Regierung steht auf Kriegsfuß mit dem eigenen Volk.
Wir werden diese Politik beenden.
Wir werden diese Milliarden nutzen für die eigenen Leute. Für die, die jeden Tag aufstehen, hart Arbeiten und am Monatsende nicht wissen, wie sie über die Runden kommen sollen.
Wir haben die im Blick, die dieses Land am Laufen halten.
Das ist die Politik der Alternative für Deutschland.
— René Springer (@Rene_Springer) November 10, 2026Of course, Germans with minors living in their household are also receiving social welfare in some circumstances. However, they only account for 40.5 percent of social welfare recipients in this category.
This figure is even more astonishing considering that of the under-18 population, 85 percent are German citizens and only 15 percent are foreigners. Of course, within the category of German citizens, there are millions with a foreign background.
Around 36.8 percent of foreign children live in social welfare households.Only 7.2 percent of German children do.
Foreigners are siphoning off tens of billions in welfare
The pattern is even more pronounced when looking at all social welfare recipients, regardless of whether children live in the household.
Just 16 years ago, in 2010, 19.6 percent of those who received social welfare did not hold German citizenship. By 2020, this share almost doubled to 37.6 percent. In 2025, 47.3 percent of social welfare recipients are foreigners.
The amount of money flying out the door to foreigners in Germany has also dramatically risen year after year.
Foreigners received €6.92 billion in 2010 but by 2025, the figure climbed to €21.75 billion, which is triple the cost in 15 years.
The idea that foreigners were supposed to save the German budget and fill skilled positions is sharply contested by the tens of billions in welfare going to this group. Remix News reported last month that estimates indicate that foreigners have cost taxpayers at least 400 billion since 2016, a figure that is likely a low estimate.
More and more foreigners are being naturalized
As time goes on, more and more foreigners are becoming German citizens, which is distorting data on everything from crime to social welfare. The issue is that nobody has any idea how these foreigners are integrating due to the fact that migration background is not recorded, as it is in other countries like Denmark.
Freiburg financial economist Bernd Raffelhüschen pointed this out in 2025, stating that naturalized foreigners are subsequently counted as Germans even if they continue to receive basic income support.
“Those who become naturalized citizens and continue to receive basic income support disappear from the statistics on foreigners. The welfare state must continue to finance the benefits.”
According to the Federal Statistical Office, more than 330,000 people were naturalized in 2025. It is not possible to determine from the available figures how many of them were receiving welfare the time of naturalization, though Raffelhüschen suspects a significant statistical effect whose exact size cannot yet be quantified.
