The Local Germany https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Germany in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed German food banks struggle to cope with rising demand The war in Ukraine and the rising cost of living has led to food banks in Germany almost reaching their limit.  https://www.thelocal.de/20220419/food-bank-use-on-the-rise-in-germany Tue, 19 Apr 2022 13:10:04 +0200 food-bank-use-on-the-rise-in-germany Who is hardest hit financially by the pandemic in Germany? The pandemic has affected everyone in Germany in many ways. Here's who is being hit hardest when it comes to economic difficulties. https://www.thelocal.de/20210310/who-is-hardest-hit-financially-by-the-pandemic-in-germany Wed, 10 Mar 2021 13:53:21 +0100 who-is-hardest-hit-financially-by-the-pandemic-in-germany 'Nearly three million' children in Germany live in poverty A new study from the Bertelsmann Foundation showed that child poverty in Germany is a growing problem, especially in light of the coronavirus crisis. https://www.thelocal.de/20200722/one-in-five-children-in-germany-lives-in-poverty Wed, 22 Jul 2020 11:37:05 +0200 one-in-five-children-in-germany-lives-in-poverty Explained: What are Germany's planned new pension reforms? Germany's cabinet has agreed on pension reforms that will benefit about 1.3 million people. Here's what it all means. https://www.thelocal.de/20200219/grundrente-german-cabinet-backs-divisive-pension-hike Wed, 19 Feb 2020 12:48:04 +0100 grundrente-german-cabinet-backs-divisive-pension-hike Why poverty among pensioners continues to rise in Germany The number of seniors at risk of poverty has risen by one-third since 2010, new data from Germany’s Statistical Office has revealed. https://www.thelocal.de/20200110/number-of-seniors-in-germany-at-risk-of-poverty-increases-by-one-third Fri, 10 Jan 2020 12:31:10 +0100 number-of-seniors-in-germany-at-risk-of-poverty-increases-by-one-third Explained: How new poverty ‘problem regions’ are emerging in Germany Overall poverty is declining slightly in Germany, a new report has found. But there are deep divides and new ‘problem regions’ emerging. https://www.thelocal.de/20191212/explained-how-new-poverty-problem-regions-are-emerging-in-germany Thu, 12 Dec 2019 12:10:49 +0100 explained-how-new-poverty-problem-regions-are-emerging-in-germany Half of all Germans 'worry about old-age poverty' Germans are afraid of falling into poverty when they get older, a new survey has found. https://www.thelocal.de/20191204/one-in-two-germans-worry-about-old-age-poverty Wed, 04 Dec 2019 10:24:02 +0100 one-in-two-germans-worry-about-old-age-poverty Germany sees 'alarming' increase in number of food bank users From the outside, Germany is viewed as a prosperous country with low unemployment. But new figures shed light on the increasing number of people turning to food banks. https://www.thelocal.de/20190919/alarming-increase-in-number-of-food-bank-users-in-germany Thu, 19 Sep 2019 13:28:12 +0200 alarming-increase-in-number-of-food-bank-users-in-germany Old-age poverty in Germany ‘set to rise significantly’ More than every fifth pensioner in Germany will face financial insecurity in the next 20 years, according to a new study. https://www.thelocal.de/20190912/old-age-poverty-in-germany-set-to-rise-significantly-pensioner Thu, 12 Sep 2019 12:11:13 +0200 old-age-poverty-in-germany-set-to-rise-significantly-pensioner Call to prevent power cuts in poorest German households More than 340,000 electricity customers across Germany have their power cut off each year for failing to pay bills. A new proposal from one political party aims to change this. https://www.thelocal.de/20190514/call-to-prevent-power-cuts-in-german-households-amid-rising-energy-poverty Tue, 14 May 2019 12:30:07 +0200 call-to-prevent-power-cuts-in-german-households-amid-rising-energy-poverty Poverty rising in Germany's industrial Ruhr region: study Statistics have revealed increases in poverty in many larger cities in west Germany, predominantly in the Ruhr region. Conversely, poverty is trending downward in the former east. https://www.thelocal.de/20190403/poverty-on-the-rise-in-german-cities Wed, 03 Apr 2019 11:29:50 +0200 poverty-on-the-rise-in-german-cities Study: Rising rents accelerating gap between rich and poor across Germany A newly released study has confirmed what residents of German cities have known for some time: rents are rising - and the poorest are the most affected. https://www.thelocal.de/20181023/study-rising-rents-accelerating-gap-between-rich-and-poor-across-germany Tue, 23 Oct 2018 19:09:19 +0200 study-rising-rents-accelerating-gap-between-rich-and-poor-across-germany The East-West divide is diminishing, but differences still remain “Now what belongs together grows together” was the message of German reunification in 1989, but differences between East and West still persist today. https://www.thelocal.de/20181002/the-east-west-divide-is-diminishing-but-differences-still-remain Tue, 02 Oct 2018 16:38:30 +0200 the-east-west-divide-is-diminishing-but-differences-still-remain Kids likely to grow up affected by poverty if mums don't work, study finds Kids in Deutschland are at higher risk of poverty if their mothers are unemployed, a study published on Wednesday has found. https://www.thelocal.de/20180627/child-poverty-in-germany-highly-dependant-on-mothers-job-status-study-finds Wed, 27 Jun 2018 12:56:26 +0200 child-poverty-in-germany-highly-dependant-on-mothers-job-status-study-finds 'I haven't eaten all day': Growing up poor is a dead-end street in wealthy Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel touted Germany as a country "in which we live well and happily" during her re-election campaign. But those words ring hollow to the one in five children living in poverty in Europe's top economy, with little prospect of climbing the social ladder. https://www.thelocal.de/20180420/in-wealthy-germany-growing-up-poor-is-a-dead-end-street Fri, 20 Apr 2018 11:43:56 +0200 in-wealthy-germany-growing-up-poor-is-a-dead-end-street Almost every seventh child in German is dependent on welfare funds Nearly every seventh child in Germany required assistance from Hartz IV last year, says the newest report from the German Federal Employment Agency (BA). Only 5 years ago, the rate was one in every eight children. https://www.thelocal.de/20180405/almost-every-seventh-child-in-german-is-dependent-on-hartz-iv-federal-funds Thu, 05 Apr 2018 11:41:37 +0200 almost-every-seventh-child-in-german-is-dependent-on-hartz-iv-federal-funds ‘No one in Germany would go hungry if food banks didn’t exist’ The outspoken Christian Democrat politician Jens Spahn told a newspaper on Saturday that Germany was a country without poverty thanks to its "Hartz IV" social security payments. Critics called his comments “cold-hearted and aloof.” https://www.thelocal.de/20180312/no-one-in-germany-would-go-hungry-if-food-banks-didnt-exist Mon, 12 Mar 2018 11:58:10 +0100 no-one-in-germany-would-go-hungry-if-food-banks-didnt-exist How a food charity has sparked a furious debate about refugees, poverty and racism Last week a food charity in Essen took the controversial decision to stop taking any new foreign clients. The move, said to be aimed at helping German Omas, has unleashed a heated debate about racism and poverty. https://www.thelocal.de/20180227/food-charity-furious-debate-refugees-poverty-racism Tue, 27 Feb 2018 12:22:13 +0100 food-charity-furious-debate-refugees-poverty-racism In Germany, the risk of poverty rises with every child a couple has: study A new study by the Bertelsmann Foundation shows that families are more likely to be at risk of poverty the bigger they are. https://www.thelocal.de/20180207/risk-of-poverty-rises-with-every-child-a-couple-has Wed, 07 Feb 2018 16:26:38 +0100 risk-of-poverty-rises-with-every-child-a-couple-has Disadvantaged kids make big leap in educational achievements, study finds At the start of the millennium, Germany was lambasted by the OECD for the inequality that was prevalent in its schools. But a new study by the organization has found sizeable improvements in German schools. https://www.thelocal.de/20180130/disadvantaged-kids-make-big-leap-in-educational-achievements-study-finds Tue, 30 Jan 2018 10:20:16 +0100 disadvantaged-kids-make-big-leap-in-educational-achievements-study-finds