Financial worries: Parents fear they may no longer afford their families’ basic needs

More than one in four parents of minor children in Germany worry that their families could soon struggle to afford essentials such as heating, clothing or food. The share reached 27%, up slightly from 25% in September 2025 and sharply above the 15% recorded in January of that year.

The findings come from a Forsa survey commissioned by Save the Children. Researchers questioned 1,001 parents between July 13 and July 30. Only 40% said they had no financial worries about the future, down from 48% in September 2025.

The pressure extends beyond basic needs. Twenty-one percent said they could hardly or could not afford new furniture, outings, restaurant visits, holidays or their children’s hobbies. Another 22% said they had cut back or had to weigh spending on their children during the previous 12 months, including on leisure activities, hobbies, celebrations and gifts.

Save the Children described the figures as a worrying trend. “Everyday expenses such as healthy food or clothing are causing stress in families,” the organization said. It added that many children were having to forgo activities and experiences that other families considered normal, including hobbies, restaurant visits and holidays.

The organization called for action, while 83% of respondents said the federal government should do more to tackle child poverty.

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Everyday expenses such as healthy food or clothing are causing stress in families.