The housing allowance helps low-income citizens with their housing costs. It is a state subsidy for the costs of owner-occupied housing. Tenants can receive housing allowance as a rent subsidy and owners of owner-occupied apartments or homes as a so-called burden subsidy.
Who receives housing allowance? The most important questions and answers
What does it depend on to be eligible for housing assistance?
from the number of household members to be considered
from the amount of total income
of the amount of the eligible rent or charge.
Trainees and students can claim housing allowance if one or more household members are not entitled to vocational training allowance (BAB) or BAföG.
Who is not entitled to a housing allowance?
Recipients of the following social benefits are not entitled to housing allowance if the cost of housing was taken into account when calculating the benefit:
Unemployment benefit II and social benefit
Transitional benefits and injury benefits, in each case up to the amount of unemployment benefit II, also in the case of advances and advance payments on transitional benefits and injury benefits
Subsidies for the uncovered costs of accommodation for trainees and students
Basic benefits for old age and reduced earning capacity
Help with living expenses
Supplemental subsistence assistance or other assistance in an inpatient facility that includes subsistence, under the Federal Subsistence Act or under a law declaring it applicable
Benefits for asylum seekers
Child and youth welfare if the household is exclusively home to recipients of these benefits
- The costs of accommodation are covered within the framework of these social benefits.
Procedure
To receive housing allowance, citizens must submit an application for housing allowance (rent subsidy) or an application for housing allowance (burden subsid y) to the housing allowance office in person or by mail. An application sent by e-mail is only valid if the e-mail has an electronic signature. The application can be submitted in person during office hours (Tuesday and Friday from 8 a.m. to noon and Wednesday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.). Consultations are also possible during this time.
What else needs to be considered?
Housing allowance is generally granted for twelve months. In order to continue to receive housing benefit after the grant period, a new application is required. The so-called application for continued benefits can be submitted at the earliest two months before the end of the grant period.
Housing allowances are always granted retroactively to the first of the month in which the application is received.
The application must be accompanied by appropriate supporting documents, such as a rental agreement, proof of monthly charges for the home, pay stubs.
Any changes in the above eligibility requirements, for example, relocation, change in rent/load, change in income, or change in the number of household members, etc., must be reported immediately.