Housing benefit; applying for a rent or encumbrance allowance
Under certain conditions, low-income households can receive housing benefit as a state subsidy towards housing costs. The application must be submitted to the housing benefit authority (district office / independent city) in whose area the housing is located.
Stand: 09.07.2024. Link zum BayernPortal
Online procedure
Apply for housing benefit
With this online application, you can apply for housing benefit (as a rent subsidy or as an encumbrance allowance) and submit and resubmit documents.
Citizen-friendly and digital: simply complete this online application directly via your internet browser. In many cases, this will save you a trip to the authorities.
Purpose
Housing benefit is paid on application as a subsidy towards the costs of owner-occupied housing in order to ensure adequate and family-friendly housing.
Object
Housing benefit is paid as a rent subsidy for rented apartments and comparable housing, and as an encumbrance allowance for owner-occupied and comparable housing.
Entitled persons
Tenants of an apartment can receive housing benefit as a rent subsidy on application. The same applies to people who sublet or live in a home (e.g. retirement or nursing home).
Owners of their own home, a condominium or an agricultural sideline can apply for housing benefit as an encumbrance allowance for owner-occupied housing.
Reasons for exclusion (no entitlement to housing benefit):
- Recipients of so-called transfer benefits (e.g. citizen's allowance in accordance with SGB II, basic income support in old age and in the event of reduced earning capacity, assistance with living expenses) are generally excluded from housing benefit if the costs of accommodation have been taken into account in the calculation of the transfer benefit.
- Single students and trainees can only receive housing benefit if they are not entitled to benefits to support their training (e.g. BAföG, training allowance).
- There is no entitlement to housing benefit if the claim would be abusive, in particular due to considerable assets.
Eligible costs
Rent and housing costs are only eligible up to a maximum amount determined by law. This depends on the number of household members to be taken into account and the rent level of the municipality. Further information can be obtained from the relevant housing benefit authority (see "Who is responsible for you").
Type and amount
The amount of housing benefit you are entitled to in the form of a rent or service charge subsidy depends on
- the number of household members to be taken into account
- the total income and
- the amount of eligible rent or charges for the living space.
Regional Supplement (Editorially responsible: City of Erlangen)
Processing:
- Letter area A - CI: Room 423, telephone + (49) 09131 / 86 - 2348
- Letter area CI - HAI: Room 423, telephone + (49) 09131 / 86 - 1589
- Letter area HAJ - KRA: Room 424, telephone + (49) 09131 / 86 - 3490
- Letter area KRB - O: Room 424, telephone + (49) 09131 / 86 - 2457
- Letter area P: Room 425, telephone + (49) 09131 / 86 - 3044
- Letter area Q - RO: Room 425, telephone + (49) 09131 / 86 - 2978
- Letter area RP - SH: Room 421, telephone + (49) 09131 / 86 - 1587
- Letter area SI - WEL: Room 422, telephone + (49) 09131 / 86 - 3481
- Letter area WEN - Z: Room 422, telephone + (49) 09131 / 86 - 2799
In order to receive housing benefit, the person entitled to housing benefit (see "Entitled persons") must submit an application.
The housing benefit application contains questions about the essential information required to determine entitlement to housing benefit. The information in the application must be supported by the relevant evidence.
The application for housing benefit, together with the necessary supporting documents, must be submitted to the district office or independent city in whose area the housing for which housing benefit is being applied for is located.
If the responsible housing benefit authority already offers a corresponding online procedure, a digital application is also possible. Various online procedures are currently being offered by the housing benefit authorities on a transitional basis (see "Further links"). The online procedure "Application for housing benefit" allows you to apply for a rent subsidy and an encumbrance allowance as well as to submit additional documents for an application that has already been submitted. The online procedure "Housing benefit - application for rent subsidy" only allows you to apply for rent subsidy.
To select the responsible authority, enter the zip code or the location of the apartment for which housing benefit is to be applied for under "Select location". If available, the online procedure of the competent authority will then be displayed. If the application is not available as an online procedure, the relevant application form (under "Forms") must be completed, signed and submitted to the competent authority together with the relevant supporting documents.
The responsible district office or independent city (housing benefit authority) will decide on the application with a written decision. The housing benefit authority will also provide more detailed information and answer questions. As a rule, housing benefit is granted for twelve months from the month in which the application is submitted. After that, a new application is required.
Housing benefit is generally granted from the first of the month in which the application is made.
- Proof of the gross income of the household members to be taken into account
(e.g. certificate of earnings, pension certificate, income tax certificate) - for rent subsidy: Proof of rent
(e.g. rental agreement, rental certificate)
- for encumbrance allowance: Proof of the burden for the living space
(e.g. proof of charges from debt servicing and management)
- Further evidence
You can find out whether further evidence is required to process the application for rent or housing benefit from the housing benefit authority responsible for you.
Application for housing benefit - rent subsidy
Application for housing benefit - housing allowance
Data protection information on the housing benefit application
Housing benefit
Apply for housing benefit online
If the competent housing benefit authority already offers a corresponding online housing benefit application, a digital application is possible. To select the competent authority, enter the zip code or the location of the home for which housing benefit is to be applied for under "Select location". If available, the online procedure of the competent authority will then be displayed.
Various online procedures are currently being offered by the housing benefit authorities on a transitional basis. The online procedure "Application for housing benefit" allows you to apply for a rent subsidy and an encumbrance allowance and to submit additional documents for an application that has already been submitted.
If the application is not available as an online procedure, the relevant application form (under "Forms") must be completed, signed and submitted to the relevant authority together with the relevant supporting documents.
Regional Supplement (Editorial responsibility: City of Erlangen)
Housing benefit office
Anschrift
Öffnungszeiten
Outside of regular opening hours, individual appointments can also be arranged on site. Get in touch with us by phone, e-mail or contact form.