Press release No. 243 of 13 July 2016
WIESBADEN – For seven in ten adults (70%) aged between 18 and 64 and living in Germany, their main source of livelihood was their own employment in 2015. Based on results of the microcensus, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reports that this applied to 35.7 million of the total 50.8 million people of this age. The proportions differ between men (77%) and women (64%). Almost 5.0 million of all 18 to 64 year olds (10%) lived mainly on public benefits (excluding pensions). Roughly 6.8 million, or 13%, of those belonging to this age group (7% of the men and 20% of the women) indicated income of family members (for example, spouse or cohabiting partner, parents) as their main source of income.