More Germans face payment problems and file personal bankruptcies in 2025, Schufa reports
Schufa says that rising living costs and a weak economy pushed a larger share of German consumers into payment difficulties in 2025, with more people filing personal bankruptcy for the first time.
According to Schufa, higher prices for food and energy since 2022 have intensified financial pressure on German households, leading to a noticeable rise in payment difficulties in 2025. The share of consumers with payment disruptions increased relative to the prior year, and the number of individuals encountering such problems for the first time grew by twelve percent. Applications for personal bankruptcy also climbed, reaching a level that remains below the peak years of 2006-2012.
More than half of the new filings were submitted by people aged 30 to 49, with an additional thirteen percent coming from those aged 20 to 29, and only one percent from those over 74. Gender-wise, 58 % of applicants were men and 42 % women. Schufa’s analysis draws on its archived data set covering about 69 million German consumers as of 31 December 2025.
Why it matters
The trend signals growing financial strain on German households amid rising living costs.
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