Assistance with living expenses (social welfare)

  • Performance specification

    As a rule, you will receive assistance with living expenses as a social welfare benefit if you are in need of help and have a disability:

    • neither basic income support for jobseekers,
    • still receive basic income support in old age and in the event of reduced earning capacity.

    Children under the age of 15 receive social assistance if they:

    • live together with people who receive subsistence assistance (usually with their parents) and
    • are unable to secure their livelihood despite being entitled to maintenance.

    Assistance with living expenses includes:

    • the flat-rate standard rate to ensure subsistence, for example for food, clothing or personal hygiene. A separate standard rate is set for each family member.
    • Education and participation benefits for children and young people, for example for
      • School trips,
      • personal school supplies,
      • Student tickets,
      • supplementary learning support,
      • Lunch in schools or
      • Club fees, music lessons and the like.
    • Needs for accommodation and heating.
    • In exceptional cases, assumption of debt for:
      • Prevention of homelessness,
      • Securing your accommodation or
      • to remedy a comparable emergency situation, for example debts to the energy supplier.
    • Requirements for your health and long-term care insurance contributions and, under certain conditions, for your pension provision.

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

    • fulfil the requirements for a severely disabled person's pass with the mark "G" and are not able to work under pension law,
    • expectant mother from the 13th week of pregnancy,
    • are single parents,
    • have reached the age of 15, are disabled and receive assistance for appropriate schooling or training within the framework of integration assistance,
    • are dependent on a special diet due to a medical condition, which leads to higher costs than a "normal" diet,
    • produce hot water in a decentralised manner (e.g. boiler) rather than through a central heating system, or
    • you are a pupil and have expenses for the purchase or loan of textbooks or equivalent workbooks due to the respective school regulations or school requirements.

    If you do not live alone, the social welfare office will take your entire family income into account to determine your need for assistance. The income of all family members living together in the same home is taken into account, for example:

    • Earned income,
    • Maintenance payments and
    • Pension income.

    Child benefit paid for minors and any maintenance payments for a child are allocated to this child to cover its needs.

    Certain assets are not considered to be protected assets, for example:

    • smaller amounts of cash (financial assets per adult: EUR 10,000) or
    • an appropriate house plot.

    Apart from a few exceptional cases, you will not receive any benefits for past periods.

  • Which documents are required?

    • Valid identity card or passport, confirmation of registration if applicable
    • Proof of a temporary full reduction in earning capacity in the form of a pension certificate or medical certificates
    • Proof of income, for example pension, sick pay, child benefit, maintenance payments or advance maintenance payments
    • Proof of assets, for example savings
    • Tenancy agreement and subsequent amendments, in particular with regard to the amount of rent
    • Proof of expenses, in addition to the amount of rent and rent payment, especially advance payments and bills for ancillary costs and heating costs, documents on insurance premiums
    • Proof of health and long-term care insurance, i.e. details of health insurance company and insurance status or contract for private health and long-term care insurance

    Please note: The scope of the documents required, 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.

  • Applications / Forms

    Forms: available from your social welfare office

    Written form required: No

    Informal application possible: Yes

    Personal appearance required: No

    Online services available: No


Start your request directly online

Who do I need to contact?

Your local social welfare office

Responsible departments

Responsible staff