Germany to automate child benefits, cutting red tape for parents by 2027
Hesse's Minister for Family Affairs, Diana Stolz, has welcomed the federal cabinet's plan to introduce automatic child benefit payments. The new system aims to cut red tape and ease the burden on parents by removing the need for manual applications. State officials have praised the move as a major step toward a more efficient, family-friendly administration.
Under the current process, families must apply for child benefits through the Familienkasse of the Bundesagentur für Arbeit. The new system will streamline this by using data from the Bundeszentralamt für Steuern (BZSt), which holds records on newborns and tax identification numbers. Implementation will happen in two phases: families with existing children will see automatic payments from spring 2027, while first-time parents will be included by late 2027.
Diana Stolz stressed that reliable execution will be key to the system's success. She noted that the state of Hesse would work closely with federal authorities to ensure smooth adoption. Manfred Pentz, Hesse's Minister for Bureaucracy Reduction, highlighted the practical benefits, arguing that the change would save families time and eliminate unnecessary paperwork.
Stolz also pointed out that the reform would be particularly helpful during the birth of a child, when parents already face numerous administrative tasks. She described the shift as part of a broader effort to create a modern, service-focused state. While the Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales (BMAS) oversees policy, the Familienkasse and BZSt will handle the technical and operational aspects of the rollout.
The automatic child benefit system is set to launch in stages starting in 2027. If successful, it will remove a long-standing bureaucratic hurdle for German families. Officials will monitor the rollout closely to identify any need for further adjustments.
