Apply for assistance with living expenses

Is your disposable family income not sufficient to cover the necessary living expenses? Do you have no realisable assets and are not able to work? Then you may be entitled to assistance with living expenses (social assistance).

Please note: If you are able to work, you are entitled to citizen's allowance under certain conditions.

Note: If you have reached the standard retirement age or are at least 18 years old and permanently fully incapacitated for work, you may be entitled to basic security benefits in old age and in the event of reduced earning capacity.

Basic subsistence benefits include

• the flat-rate standard rate to ensure subsistence, for example for food, clothing, personal hygiene. The amount depends on the number of people living in the household (joint household) and their age.
• Benefits for additional requirements for living expenses, for example for expectant mothers from the 13th week of pregnancy, single parents, people with a walking disability, nutrition-related additional requirements and for a decentralised hot water supply
• Benefits for accommodation and heating, insofar as the costs are reasonable, if necessary also relocation costs and rent deposits
• other one-off benefits in kind or cash benefits or loans, e.g. initial equipment for newborns, first home furnishings
• Education and participation benefits for children and young people, e.g. school trips, personal school supplies, school travel cards, school lunches, club fees, learning support
• Contributions to health and long-term care insurance

The flat-rate standard rate is graduated according to age groups and type of housing and has been as follows since 1 January 2024

• Level 1: EUR 563.00 for each adult person living in a flat
• Level 2: EUR 506.00 for each adult living in a flat with a spouse or partner or in a special form of accommodation for disabled people
• Level 3: EUR 451.00 for each adult living in an institution
• Level 4: EUR 471.00 for young people from the age of 15 to the age of 18
• Level 5: EUR 390.00 for children from the age of 7 to the age of 14
• Level 6: EUR 357.00 for children up to the age of 6

The social welfare office takes into account the entire family income to determine the need for assistance. It takes into account, for example

• Maintenance payments
• Pension income
• Child benefit

Certain assets are regarded as protected assets, such as small amounts of cash or an appropriate owner-occupied property, and do not have to be used.

If the qualifying income is less than the assessed need, the social welfare office will pay the difference.

You can also receive one-off benefits if you are able to cover your current living expenses but are unable to finance a one-off need.

Note: As a rule, you will not receive benefits for past periods.