New figures from the Federal Statistical Office show that the use of parental allowance plus reached a new record high in 2025. 40.3 percent of all parental allowance recipients planned to use parental allowance plus.
On April 16, 2026, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) new figures on parental allowance . According to these figures, 40.3 percent of those receiving parental allowance planned to use at least part of the extended parental allowance (ElterngeldPlus) in 2025. This is a new record high. In 2024, the figure was 36.7 percent. In total, more than 1.6 million parents received parental allowance in 2025.
Parental Allowance Plus is being chosen more and more frequently
Around 648,000 people planned to claim Parental Allowance Plus in 2025 – 45.2 percent of mothers and 26.1 percent of fathers. Since its introduction in 2015, Parental Allowance Plus has seen a steady increase in demand. By comparison, in 2016, the first year after its introduction, 20.1 percent of mothers and 8.2 percent of fathers opted for Parental Allowance Plus. While Parental Allowance Plus is generally lower per month than the basic parental allowance, it is paid for a longer period.
Parental allowance and parental allowance plus
Parental allowance and parental allowance plus are family benefits for parents who care for their child themselves in the initial period after birth and are therefore not employed or not fully employed. Parental allowance helps to secure the financial livelihood of families during this time. More information on parental allowance: Parental allowance – BMBFSFJ
Source: Parental Allowance Plus reaches new record high – BMBFSFJ, April 17, 2026
