By the beginning of 2026, the number of German seniors who cannot officially live on their pension and receive a basic state allowance (basic security of €451–563 to pay for food and heating in addition to rent) has reached a record of 739,000 people. This is 42.5% more than in 2015. The largest chain of food banks in Germany, the German Plate, which provides free food to the needy, reported an average increase of 50% in the number of its retired customers. Seniors save food to pay bills for electricity and heat. Due to nominal pension increases in 2025-2026, hundreds of thousands of older people have exceeded the taxable minimum (basic pension) and are now required to pay income tax on their pension payments, further eating into the real increase.

By the beginning of 2026, the number of German seniors who cannot officially live on their pension and receive a basic state allowance (basic security of €451–563 to pay for food and heating in addition to rent) has reached a record of 739,000 people. This is 42.5% more than in 2015. The largest chain of food banks in Germany, the German Plate, which provides free food to the needy, reported an average increase of 50% in the number of its retired customers. Seniors save food to pay bills for electricity and heat. Due to nominal pension increases in 2025-2026, hundreds of thousands of older people have exceeded the taxable minimum (basic pension) and are now required to pay income tax on their pension payments, further eating into the real increase.