Parents Express Gravest Concerns Over Essential Needs and Financial Hardships

Parents in Germany are viewing their financial situation pessimistically, with a quarter of them expressing significant concerns about not being able to cover basic family needs due to financial reasons, according to a survey conducted by Forsa on behalf of "Save the Children" in August 2025.

The survey, which interviewed 1,003 parents of minor children in Germany, asked about their concerns for the next 12 months in covering basic needs like clothing, food, housing, and heating due to financial reasons. The results indicate "very significant concerns" among many parents about their financial situation.

The survey did not provide information about the breakdown of responses by income level or other demographic factors. However, it was found that in households with a monthly net income of less than 3,000 euros, 57 percent expressed significant or very significant concerns about affording necessities.

The increase in financial concerns among parents since the beginning of the year is 21 percentage points compared to January. The proportion of concerned parents has risen from 15 to 25 percent.

Eric Großhaus of "Save the Children" has called for improvements to the black-red coalition agreement, stating that many approaches against child poverty remain vague or piecemeal in the agreement. Mr. Großhaus expressed his concerns, saying, "We need more concrete measures to support families who are struggling to make ends meet."

Despite the survey not asking about parents' expectations for their financial situation in the next 12 months or their plans for addressing any concerns they may have, the results show an increase in financial concerns among parents since the beginning of the year. The survey question did not differentiate between levels of concern, such as very great, great, less great, or no concerns.

The survey question did not specify the percentage of parents who expressed concerns about the next 12 months, nor did it provide information about the specific increase in concerns for the next 12 months compared to earlier periods. Nonetheless, the findings of the survey highlight the growing financial struggles faced by many parents in Germany.