Arrears on utility bills in Germany

4.6% of people in Germany lived in households behind on utility bills in 2025.

Measure: Arrears on utility bills Unit: % of population Data: 2005 to 2025 Source: Eurostat
Germany, 2025 4.6% % of population
Change from 2024 −0.4percentage points 2024: 5.0%
European Union, 2025 7.0% Official aggregate
Median of European Union (27 countries), 2025 5.6% Middle value of 27 countries
Position in 2025 21st of 31 See the full ranking

Arrears on utility bills in Germany over time

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Germany European Union ×

% of population. Source: Eurostat. Gaps mean no published value; points are not joined across missing years.

Arrears on utility bills (% of population), 2005 to 2025
Period GermanyEuropean Union
2025 4.6% 7.0%
2024 5.0% 6.9%
2023 5.4% 6.9%
2022 4.3% 6.9%
2021 3.7% 6.4%
2020 3.3%b (break in time series) 6.5%
2019 2.2% 6.2%
2018 3.0% 6.8%e (estimated)
2017 2.8% 7.3%e (estimated)
2016 3.0% 8.4%e (estimated)
2015 4.0% 9.4%e (estimated)
2014 4.2% 10.3%e (estimated)
2013 3.6% 10.4%e (estimated)
2012 3.4% 10.1%e (estimated)
2011 3.9% 9.6%e (estimated)
2010 3.5% 9.6%e (estimated)
2009 3.6% –
2008 3.9% –
2007 3.9% –
2006 4.8% –
2005 2.8% –

Flags: b break in time series; e estimated . A dash means no value was published.

In short

  • That is a change of −0.4 percentage points from 5.0% in 2024.
  • Since 2015, when it was 4.0%, the figure has changed by +0.6 percentage points. The source marks a break in the series during this period, so part of the change may come from a change in method.
  • Among the 31 countries with data for 2025, Germany has the 21st highest value.
  • The figure for the European Union in 2025 was 7.0%.

Source and dates

Original producer
Eurostat
Source
Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union
Dataset or series code
ilc_mdes07 · dataset details · view at source
Selection
freq=A hhcomp=TOTAL rskpovth=TOTAL unit=PC
Observation period
2005 to 2025 for Germany
Provider update
20 October 2026
Retrieved
9 November 2026
Published here
9 November 2026
Licence
Eurostat reuse policy (attribution)
Attribution
Source: Eurostat