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Väterbeteiligung beim Elterngeld
Year Value Units Series
2008 21.2 Percentage Time series of the indicator: Children whose fathers have received parental allowance
2009 24.0 Percentage Time series of the indicator: Children whose fathers have received parental allowance
2010 25.9 Percentage Time series of the indicator: Children whose fathers have received parental allowance
2011 28.0 Percentage Time series of the indicator: Children whose fathers have received parental allowance
2012 30.0 Percentage Time series of the indicator: Children whose fathers have received parental allowance
2013 32.6 Percentage Time series of the indicator: Children whose fathers have received parental allowance
2014 34.8 Percentage Time series of the indicator: Children whose fathers have received parental allowance
2015 36.9 Percentage Time series of the indicator: Children whose fathers have received parental allowance
2016 38.8 Percentage Time series of the indicator: Children whose fathers have received parental allowance
2017 40.4 Percentage Time series of the indicator: Children whose fathers have received parental allowance
2018 42.1 Percentage Time series of the indicator: Children whose fathers have received parental allowance
2019 43.5 Percentage Time series of the indicator: Children whose fathers have received parental allowance
2020 43.7 Percentage Time series of the indicator: Children whose fathers have received parental allowance
2021 46.2 Percentage Time series of the indicator: Children whose fathers have received parental allowance
2022 46.3 Percentage Time series of the indicator: Children whose fathers have received parental allowance
2030 Percentage Time series of the indicator: Children whose fathers have received parental allowance
2008 Percentage Additional time series: Male recipients of all parental allowance months taken
2009 6.8 Percentage Additional time series: Male recipients of all parental allowance months taken
2010 7.0 Percentage Additional time series: Male recipients of all parental allowance months taken
2011 7.4 Percentage Additional time series: Male recipients of all parental allowance months taken
2012 7.7 Percentage Additional time series: Male recipients of all parental allowance months taken
2013 8.2 Percentage Additional time series: Male recipients of all parental allowance months taken
2014 8.6 Percentage Additional time series: Male recipients of all parental allowance months taken
2015 8.8 Percentage Additional time series: Male recipients of all parental allowance months taken
2016 9.1 Percentage Additional time series: Male recipients of all parental allowance months taken
2017 9.3 Percentage Additional time series: Male recipients of all parental allowance months taken
2018 9.5 Percentage Additional time series: Male recipients of all parental allowance months taken
2019 9.6 Percentage Additional time series: Male recipients of all parental allowance months taken
2020 9.6 Percentage Additional time series: Male recipients of all parental allowance months taken
2021 10.0 Percentage Additional time series: Male recipients of all parental allowance months taken
2022 10.0 Percentage Additional time series: Male recipients of all parental allowance months taken
2030 Percentage Additional time series: Male recipients of all parental allowance months taken

Data source: Federal Statistical Office

Geographical Area: Germany

This table includes additional information to the above visualized indicators, like a short definition of this indicator and a description of the politically determined target values as well as explaining the political intention behind selecting this indicator.

Intention

Parental allowance is intended to support families in sharing responsibilities as partners and to achieve a good work-life balance for mothers and fathers. The introduction of Parental Allowance Plus and the partnership bonus in particular is intended to further promote social change in gender-stereotypical role models of mothers and fathers and ultimately promote equality in the labour market.
Target

Increase to 65% by 2030
Type of target

Target with specific target value
Assessment

Target formulation:
The proportion of children whose fathers have received parental allowance should increase to at least 65% by 2030.

Assessment:
According to the target formulation, if the average trend from 2017 to 2022 continues, the indicator value for 5.1.d would only reach about 56% by 2030. The gap to the politically defined target is therefore substantial (over 20% of the difference between the target and the 2022 value), making it unlikely that the target will be achieved. Indicator 5.1.d is therefore assessed as cloud for 2022.

Data status at time of assessment:
30/06/2025
Assessment

Weathersymbol: cloud

5.1.d Proportion of fathers receiving parental allowance

Content and methodology

Parental allowance was introduced when the Federal Parental Allowance and Parental Leave Act (BEEG) came into force for children born on or after January 1, 2007. Parents are entitled to parental allowance if they are resident or ordinarily resident in Germany, live in the same household as their child, are responsible for the child's care and upbringing and have no or only limited gainful employment. The regulations apply equally to mothers and fathers. The parents' spouses or partners are also eligible if they live in the same household. In over 99% of cases, the beneficiaries are biological or adoptive parents.1

The indicator is based on the quarterly parental allowance statistics, in which all approved parental allowance benefits are recorded. It shows the proportion of children born in a particular year whose fathers received parental allowance in relation to all children in that year for whom parental allowance was received. As only children who are entitled to parental allowance are taken into account, children of foreign asylum seekers who are not entitled to parental allowance, for example, are not taken into account and therefore have no influence on the indicator. The data is based on the completed parental allowance payments per birth cohort. Complete data is therefore generally only available around two years after the end of the respective birth year.

A differentiation by type of partnership (same-sex or opposite-sex) is not possible due to the current survey methodology. For the sake of simplicity, it is therefore assumed that each child is assigned exactly one father entitled to benefits. Until June 30, 2015, the maximum period of entitlement was limited to 14 months. For children born from July 1, 2015, parents can choose between different benefit models or combine them: Basic Parental Allowance, Parental Allowance Plus and Partnership Bonus. Depending on the model chosen, the period of entitlement can vary significantly.

The indicator only shows the actual amount of parental allowance received. It does not include the duration of entitlement or the possible extent of part-time employment while receiving parental allowance. Since April 1, 2025, new income limits have applied to the receipt of parental allowance. This new regulation could influence the development of the indicator in future, as fewer couples are likely to be eligible.

Development

Between 2008 and 2022, the proportion of fathers receiving parental allowance increased significantly. The proportion of children whose fathers received parental allowance increased from 21.2% in 2008 to 46.3% in 2022. Maternal participation remained constant at a high level of around 98% over the same period. Despite this trend, the politically set target of increasing the proportion of children with fathers receiving parental allowance to at least 65% by 2030 is unlikely to be achieved if the trend remains the same.

The increase in paternal participation was accompanied by a slight decrease in the average duration of receipt per father. While fathers received parental allowance for children born in 2008 for an average of 3.7 months, the figure for the 2022 cohort was only 3.3 months. However, as more fathers participated overall, the total number of parental allowance months claimed by fathers increased. In relation to all eligible fathers – that is, including those who did not apply ‑ the average number of months claimed rose from 0.8 (2008) to 1.5 months (2022).

The average duration of entitlement for mothers (in relation to all eligible mothers) was significantly higher in comparison: it was 11.5 months for the 2008 cohort and rose to 13.8 months for the 2022 cohort.

A regional comparison for 2022 shows clear differences in paternal participation: The highest proportions were recorded in Sachsen (55.4%) and Bayern (53.8%), while Bremen (35.0%) and Saarland (34.8%) had the lowest figures.

1 For ease of reading, the terms mothers and fathers are used in simplified form below.