Apply for subsistence allowance (social assistance).
service description
You will generally receive social assistance if you are in need of assistance and:
- neither basic security for jobseekers,
- still receive basic security in old age and in the case of reduced earning capacity.
Children under the age of 15 receive social assistance if they:
- live with people who receive support (usually with the parents) and
- cannot secure their livelihood despite maintenance claims.
The benefits of the subsistence allowance include:
- the flat-rate standard rate for securing your livelihood, for example for food, clothing or personal hygiene. Each family member has their own set of rules.
- Educational and participation services for children and young people, for example for:
- school trips,
- personal school supplies,
- student tickets,
- supplementary learning support,
- School lunches or
- Club fees, music lessons and the like.
- Requirements for accommodation and heating.
- In exceptional cases, assumption of debts for:
- avoiding homelessness,
- Securing your accommodation or
- to remedy a comparable emergency, for example debts with the energy supplier.
- Requirements for contributions to your health and long-term care insurance and, under certain conditions, for your old-age provision.
In addition to your standard rate, you can receive benefits for additional living expenses. You can apply for these additional requirements if you:
- meet the requirements for a severely disabled person's pass with the mark "G" and are not able to work according to pension law,
- are expectant mothers from the 13th week of pregnancy,
- are single parents
- have reached the age of 15, are disabled and receive help for appropriate schooling or training as part of integration assistance,
- are dependent on a special diet due to a medical illness, which leads to higher costs than a "normal" diet,
- the hot water is not generated by a central heating system, but decentralized (e.g. boiler) or
- You are a student and have expenses to purchase or borrow textbooks or equivalent workbooks due to the respective legal school regulations or school requirements.
If you do not live alone, the social welfare office takes into account the entire family income to determine your need for assistance. For this purpose, the income of all family members living together in one apartment is taken into account, for example:
- earned income,
- maintenance services and
- retirement income.
Child benefit paid for minors and any maintenance payments for a child are allocated to that child in order to meet his or her needs.
Certain assets are considered non-refundable assets, for example:
- Small cash amounts (financial assets per adult: EUR 10,000) or
- a suitable plot of land.
Apart from a few exceptional cases, you will not receive any benefits for past periods.
procedure
The subsistence allowance is provided from the point in time at which the social welfare office is informed of the entitlement to benefits. This information usually takes the form of an application.
- Arrange a consultation with your local social welfare office. Bring all required documents with you to this interview.
- During the consultation, fill out the application for subsistence allowance.
- The social welfare office will decide on your application and inform you of the result. This is done by means of a decision, which is usually sent to you by letter.
- If your application is approved, you will receive an approval notice; if it is rejected, you will receive a rejection notice.
- In both cases, the notice must contain the reasons for the decision and information on the possibility of appealing against it. This must include an indication of the period within which you can lodge an objection.
- The notification of approval must contain the amount of the benefit to be paid as well as the start of payment. From the date mentioned, the social welfare office will transfer the money to your account at the beginning of the month.
- Attention: You are obliged to inform your responsible social welfare office immediately of any changes in your income and assets.
requirements
- You are in need of help and:
- temporarily fully disabled or
- receive an old-age pension, but have not yet reached the age limit for the standard old-age pension.
-
You are in need of help if you cannot cover your livelihood completely from your own means and strength.
You are temporarily fully disabled if you are not able to work regularly for at least 3 hours a day under the usual conditions of the general labor market for the foreseeable future (more than 6 months).
- You will not get:
- basic security for jobseekers,
- Basic security in old age and in the event of reduced earning capacity or
- Basic benefits for asylum seekers.
- You are in need of help and:
What documents are required?
- Valid identity card or passport, if applicable confirmation of registration
- Evidence of a temporary full reduction in earning capacity in the form of a pension notice or medical certificates
- Proof of income, for example for pension, sick pay, child benefit, maintenance payments or advance maintenance payments
- Proof of assets, such as savings
- Rental agreement and subsequent changes, in particular with regard to the amount of rent
- Evidence of expenses, in addition to the amount of rent and rent payment, especially for advance payments and bills for ancillary costs and heating costs, documents on insurance contributions
- Proof of health and long-term care insurance, i.e. information on health insurance and insurance status or contract for private health and long-term care insurance
Note: The scope of the required documents, especially for proof of income and assets, depends on the individual case. Your local social welfare office will request further documents from you, such as current bank statements, divorce decrees or maintenance titles.
What deadlines do I need to consider?
The deadlines set by the social welfare office for the submission of documents must be observed. If this is not possible for understandable reasons, you must apply for an extension of the deadline. Otherwise, the social welfare office can refuse you benefits because of non-compliance with your legal obligations to cooperate.
This also applies to the objection deadlines, i.e. if you do not agree with the notification - not just the rejection notification, but also the approval notification (amount of the resulting benefit entitlement).
processing time
Depending on the individual case.
legal basis
Applications / Forms
Forms: are available from your social welfare office
Written form required: no
Informal application possible: Yes
Personal appearance required: No
Online services available: No