Social assistance benefits for the different situations in life
Performance specification
People who cannot or cannot sufficiently secure their livelihood from their own resources and means are entitled to assistance for livelihood or to basic security in old age or in case of reduced earning capacity.
A special need is given in case of illness, disability or special social difficulties for which the legislator has provided social assistance benefits if other social benefit providers do not have to provide benefits as a priority (e.g. health insurance, German pension insurance, etc.). These benefits are also paid to people who are still able to provide for themselves, but who are dependent on social assistance benefits due to a special need situation. The decisive factor is whether they can reasonably be expected to finance the benefits from their income and assets.
The legislator has provided for the following benefits in the Social Code XII (SGB XII) in addition to assistance for subsistence and basic income support in old age or in the event of reduced earning capacity:- Health aids
- Integration assistance for disabled people
- Care assistance
- Help to overcome special social difficulties
- Help in other life situations (e.g. help to continue the household, help for the elderly, assumption of funeral costs)
The benefits of items 1, 3 (only for people over 65 years of age) as well as 4 and 5 are provided by the competent local social welfare office.
The responsibility for benefits of integration assistance for disabled people lies predominantly and that for benefits of assistance for long-term care (only for people under 65 years of age) with the Landeswohlfahrtsverband Hessen as the supra-local social welfare agency. In addition, the Landeswohlfahrtsverband Hessen is responsible for the provision of benefits for assistance to the blind in accordance with section 72 of Book XII of the Social Code.The benefits of integration assistance for people with disabilities under the material responsibility of the State Welfare Association of Hesse include above all:
- Assisted Living
- Accompanied living in host families
- Inpatient living in a residential home
- Services in semi-inpatient facilities such as recognised workshops for disabled people
- Services for children and young people with physical or mental disabilities in foster families
- Assistance with school education for children with special educational needs
- Benefits for medical rehabilitation in recognised rehabilitation facilities
- Benefits for participation in life in the community
Which documents are required?
Please contact the social welfare office responsible for you or the department of the State Welfare Association of Hesse by telephone regarding the documents you need to bring with you. You will find a telephone number if you enter your place of residence in the city search.
Special information for - District of Waldeck-FrankenbergWhat deadlines do I have to observe?
The benefit can be approved at the earliest when the need becomes known to a social welfare office or the State Welfare Association of Hesse. The respective examination of the individual case determines the exact time of approval.
Who do I need to contact?
Please contact the Social Welfare Office of your district or independent city, and
- for benefits of integration assistance for people with disabilities, assistance for care for people under 65 years of age and assistance for the blind- to the specialist departments of the Hesse State Welfare Association for People with
- physical or sensory disability,
- mental handicap or
- Mental disabilities and dependency disorders
There, the
Main and Regional Administration Kassel is responsible for the city of Kassel, the districts of Kassel, Fulda, Hersfeld-Rotenburg, Marburg- Biedenkopf and Waldeck-Frankenberg, the Schwalm-Eder district and the Werra-Meißner district.
Darmstadtregional administration for the cities of Darmstadt and Offenbach and the districts of Darmstadt-Dieburg, Groß-Gerau, Offenbach, Bergstrasse, the Main-Kinzig district, the Wetterau district, the Vogelsberg district and the Odenwald district.
Wiesbaden Regional Administration for the cities of Wiesbaden and Frankfurt, the districts of Gießen and Limburg-Weilburg, the Main-Taunus district, the Rheingau-Taunus district, the Hochtaunus district and the Lahn-Dill district.
For benefits of assistance for the blind according to § 72 SGB XII, please contact exclusively the Department for People with Physical or Sensory Disabilities of the Kassel Main and Regional Administration.
The responsibility does not always lie with the Waldeck-Frankenberg district. In some areas, only assistance can be given here and referrals made to the competent authorities.