Social Assistance; Applying for Living Expenses Assistance

You are generally eligible to receive living expenses as a social assistance benefit if you are in need of assistance and are unable to work or are no longer able to work, and

• do not receive either the Citizen’s Income (until December 31, 2022: Basic Income Support for Job Seekers, “Hartz IV”),
• nor the Basic Income Support for the Elderly and Those with Reduced Earning Capacity.
   

Children under the age of 15 receive social assistance if they

• live with people who receive financial assistance for living expenses (usually with their parents) and
• are unable to support themselves despite having claims to child support.
   

Income support benefits include:

• a flat-rate standard allowance to cover basic living expenses, such as food, clothing, and personal hygiene. If parents or a parent live with their child or children in the same household, a separate standard allowance is set for each family member. As of January 1, 2026, this amounts to:
  • Adults: 563.00 EUR
  • Spouses, life partners, or partners in a marriage-like relationship: 506.00 EUR
  • Children under 6 years of age: 357.00 EUR
  • Children aged 6 to under 14: 390.00 EUR
  • Adolescents aged 14 to under 18: 471.00 EUR
• Educational and participation benefits for children and adolescents, for example for
  • field trips,
  • personal school supplies,
  • student transit passes,
  • supplementary learning support,
  • school lunches, or
  • club dues, music lessons, and similar expenses.
• Expenses for housing and heating in the amount of your actual rent and heating costs.
• In exceptional cases, coverage of debts to
  • prevent homelessness.
  • Securing your housing or
  • to resolve a comparable emergency, e.g., debts owed to the energy provider.
• Assistance with premiums for your health and long-term care insurance and, under certain conditions, for your retirement savings.
   

In addition to your standard benefit rate, you may receive benefits to cover additional living expenses. You can apply for these additional benefits if you:

• have reached retirement age and meet the requirements for a severe disability certificate marked with the “G” designation (mobility impairment),
• have not yet reached retirement age but meet the requirements for a severe disability certificate with the “G” designation and are fully incapacitated for work under pension law,
• are an expectant mother from the 13th week of pregnancy onward,
• are a single parent,
• are at least 15 years of age, have a disability, and receive assistance for appropriate schooling or vocational training as part of integration assistance under Section 112(1), first sentence, of SGB IX, or
• require a special diet for medical reasons that results in higher costs than a “normal” diet.
   

Living expenses assistance may also be granted in cases of residential placement. In such cases, the costs of the residential facility (fees) are covered in full or in part, and an appropriate cash allowance for personal use, as well as benefits for clothing, are provided.
 

One-time benefits may be granted in only 3 cases:

• for the initial furnishing of the residence, including household appliances
• for initial clothing purchases and initial expenses related to pregnancy and childbirth
• for the purchase and repair of orthopedic shoes, for repairs to therapeutic devices and equipment, and for the rental of therapeutic devices

The same eligibility requirements apply as for ongoing living assistance (current need, inability to provide for oneself). One-time assistance may also be granted to individuals who do not receive ongoing living assistance.

If you do not live alone, the social services office will take your total family income into account when determining your need for assistance. This includes the income of all family members living together in the same household, such as

• earned income,
• child support payments, and
• pension income.
   

Child support paid for minors, as well as any child support payments, are attributed to that child to cover their needs.

Certain assets are considered exempt assets that are not taken into account, for example:

• Small amounts of cash (liquid assets per adult: €10,000) or
• a reasonably sized home in which the owner resides.

These are not included in the calculation of benefits.

With a few exceptions, you will not receive benefits for past periods.

• You are in need of assistance and unable to work because you have a temporary, full reduction in your ability to work:
  • You are considered in need of assistance if you cannot fully cover your living expenses with your own resources and efforts.
  • You are temporarily and fully unable to work if, for the foreseeable future (more than 6 months), you are unable to work regularly for at least 3 hours a day under the usual conditions of the general labor market.
• You do not receive any of the following:
  • Citizen’s Income (until December 31, 2022: Basic Income Support for Job Seekers “Hartz IV”),
  • Basic Income Support for the Elderly and Those with Reduced Earning Capacity, or
  • Basic benefits for asylum seekers.

The competent social services office determines whether a person is eligible for assistance with living expenses. Those in need of assistance do not necessarily have to file an application themselves. Even if a third party—such as a family member or neighbor—reports that there are indications of a need for subsistence assistance, the social services office is required to take action (principle of ex officio investigation). Nevertheless, it is advisable to submit an application yourself. 

• Schedule a consultation with your local social services office. Bring all necessary documents to this meeting.
• If possible, fill out the application for living assistance during the consultation.
• The social services office must decide on your application and notify you of the outcome. This is done through a decision notice, which is usually sent to you by mail.
• If your application is approved, you will receive a notice of approval; if it is denied, you will receive a notice of denial.
• In both cases, the notice will include the grounds for the decision, as well as information on how to file an appeal.
• The approval notice must specify the amount of the benefit to be paid as well as the start date of payments. Starting on the date specified, the social services office will transfer the money to your account at the beginning of each month. You may also designate a third party’s account for the transfer.
• Please note: You are required to immediately notify your local social services office of any changes in your income, assets, or personal circumstances.

Note: If you do not have a bank account, you will receive the benefits via a payment order for settlement. You must bear the resulting costs yourself. If you can prove that it is impossible for you to open a bank account—as required by law—through no fault of your own, the social services office will cover these costs. Payment by cashier’s check is not possible.

You must apply to the social services office for all one-time benefits before making a purchase.

Obligations to Cooperate

As an applicant and recipient of social assistance, you have a duty to cooperate, which means, among other things:

• You must disclose all information regarding your income, assets, and expenses, as well as any changes thereto.
• Upon request by the social services office, you must consent to the disclosure of information by other individuals (e.g., family members, banks, doctors, experts).
• You must undergo medical and psychological examinations at the request of the social assistance agency if existing medical certificates and official notices are insufficient for a decision.

If you fail to comply with these obligations to cooperate, the social services office may deny or withdraw benefits.

You must meet the deadlines set by the social services office for submitting documents. If, for valid reasons, you are unable to do so, you must request an extension. Otherwise, the social services office may deny you benefits due to your failure to comply with your legal obligation to cooperate.

In addition, there are appeal deadlines if you disagree with the decision—not only in the case of a denial but also in the case of an approval decision (regarding the amount of benefits to which you are entitled). These deadlines must be strictly observed, as the decision becomes final once the appeal period has expired.

The processing time depends on the specific case.

• A valid ID card or passport; proof of residence, if applicable
• Proof of temporary total disability in the form of a pension decision or medical certificates
• Proof of Income
  

  for example, regarding retirement benefits, sick pay, child support, alimony, or advance alimony payments

• Statements of Financial Position
  

  such as savings balances

• Lease agreement and subsequent amendments, particularly regarding the rent amount
• Proof of expenses—in addition to the rent amount and rent payments, particularly advance payments and statements for utilities and heating costs—as well as documentation of insurance premiums
• Proof of health and long-term care insurance, i.e., information regarding the health insurance provider and insurance status, or a contract for private health and long-term care insurance
• Note:
  

  The scope of the required documentation—particularly with regard to proof of income and assets—depends on the individual case. Your local social services office may request additional documents from you, such as recent bank statements, divorce decrees, or child support orders.

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