BAföG is set to increase — the main thing is to wait
The Cabinet has approved a BAföG increase: the housing allowance up to €440, the basic rate in stages up to €563.
Early start pension: the state is opening a pension depot for children
On 12 August 2026, the Cabinet approved the Frühstartrente act. From the age of six, a child receives €10 a month into a pension fund.
Elterngeld faces cuts: what is known about the draft
In early July a draft Elterngeld reform prepared by the family ministry reached the press. The gist: shorten the maximum benefit period and tie it to the involvement of both parents. Officially the draft has been confirmed only as a document that went into interministerial coordination (Ressortabstimmung): the Kabinett has not approved it, and it has not been introduced in parliament. We sort out what is fact here and what is so far only press reporting.
