The BA’s Family Benefits Office takes stock: 2021 in figures

Last year, the Federal Employment Agency’s (BA) Family Benefits Office was confronted with pandemic-related challenges. In addition to child benefit and the child allowance, both this year’s child bonus and the children’s leisure bonus were paid out to a significantly higher number of families.

04 Feb 2022 | Press release no.7

“Our benefits help families, especially during the coronavirus crisis. Within the framework of our standard child benefit and child allowance benefits, we have transferred around EUR 49 billion to almost 10 million families. During the ongoing pandemic, we have also successfully paid out the special 2021 child bonus (EUR 2.6 billion for 17.5 million children) and the children’s leisure bonus (EUR 75.7 million) benefits to support families,” states the head of the BA’s Family Benefits Office, Karsten Bunk.

The benefits at a glance:

2021 child benefit & child allowance

  • 9.95 million customers
  • 2.7 million applications for child benefit and child allowance were processed
  • Amount paid out (total): EUR 48.87 billion, including EUR 46 billion for child benefit and EUR 1.27 billion for child allowance

2021 child bonus

  • Paid out in May 2021
  • EUR 150 one-off payment for those entitled to child benefit
  • 17.5 million children
  • Amount paid out: EUR 2.62 billion

2021 children’s leisure bonus

  • Paid out in August 2021
  • EUR 100 one-off payment for families in need
  • 757,000 children
  •  Amount paid out: EUR 75.7 million

For years now, the Family Benefits Office has been relying more and more on digital services. “Whether it’s by expanding our digital offers, such as a simplified application for the child allowance, online scheduling for video consultations, or our wide range of digital information tools on www.familienkasse.de – supporting families in a less complicated way, with less bureaucracy and easier access to services, is the ultimate goal and will remain so in 2022,” emphasises Bunk.

Further background information on the BA Family Benefit’s Office remit can be found in the Family Benefits Office in figures: 2021 balance sheet document.