The five pillars of social security.
The German social security system provides support in emergencies or transitional phases, ensuring participation and integration. It stands on five central pillars: Pension insurance, health insurance, long-term care insurance, unemployment insurance and casualty insurance. Other key elements of the social safety net are employment stimulation, labour legislation and childcare benefits, rehabilitation of people with disabilities, housing benefits and social welfare.
Social security in a changing society
Modern societies are characterized by constant change. The workplace of the future requires different solutions than the ageing industrial society. Digitization demands more flexibility at work, the energy transition creates new professions, qualification requirements increase and forms of employment change. The COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the return of inflation associated with it are causing uncertainty. At the same time, technological progress offers enormous opportunities to face the challenges of the future, especially those caused by demographic change.
To maintain their role of protection and risk mitigation, social security systems must be continuously adapted to the current conditions. The social and economic challenges involved are enormous: questions of financing, distribution, security and quality of supply and participation in society must be answered.
The future of social security in Germany
Political decisions regarding social security require vision and precision.
- Is the German pension system generation-appropriate and adapted to the changing world of work?
- How can social participation succeed in the face of high inflation?
- How can the rising demand for care be financed in the future?
The answers to these and other questions will determine the future of social security in Germany.
Social Protection: A selection of our services
Social security model OCCUR
We quantify the financial requirements and examine options for reforming social security using the OCCUR social security model.
Microsimulation model
With our microsimulation model, we can identify support requirements and distribution effects.
Developing concepts
We develop and evaluate supply concepts and model projects in the context of our evaluations and expert assessments.
Strengthening organisations
We support social security institutions in the process of their organisational investigation and development processes.
Interdisciplinarity
As the social safety net in Germany is densely knit, we combine professional expertise from all of its subfields.
Do you have questions?
Your contact at Prognos
Dr Oliver Ehrentraut
Head of the economics division, Partner, Director
