Our employees only speak German in the office and on the phone.

Apply for benefits within the framework of social compensation for participation in working life Arbeit Notlagen und Opferhilfen

Injured persons can receive benefits for participation in working life under certain conditions, for example assistance in maintaining or obtaining a job and occupational integration.

  • Basic information

    As an injured person, you can receive benefits for participation in working life to ensure your initial integration or reintegration into work and employment. They therefore include all benefits that are necessary to maintain, improve, establish or restore your earning capacity. This should enable you to participate in working life for as long as possible.

    The prerequisite is the connection between the recognized injury and the occupational impairment that has already occurred or threatens to occur. The degree of the consequences of the injury is not relevant. However, it is expected that the objective of the measure can be achieved by the individual's ability to perform.

    The benefits for participation in working life include in particular

    • Services to maintain or obtain a job, including assistance to promote employment and services to employers,
    • vocational preparation, vocational adaptation, further vocational training, vocational training,
    • Services in a workshop for people with disabilities
    • Other assistance for participation in working life.

    In addition, the costs of accommodation and meals may be covered during participation in a measure outside the individual's own or their parents' household.

    Benefits for participation in working life also include benefits for the operation, maintenance, storage and parking of a motor vehicle.

    Surviving dependants can receive benefits for participation in working life if the application is submitted within five years of the death of the injured person.

    Please note that your social compensation provider will decide whether and to what extent you receive support.

    Requirements

    Injured parties:

    • You have suffered a health impairment in Germany or, under certain conditions, abroad (§ 15 SGB XIV) due to a damaging event.
    • The health impairment has resulted in physical, psychological, mental or sensory impairments.
    • You can prove the connection between the recognized injury and the occupational impairment that has already occurred or is imminent.

    Surviving dependants:

    • The application was submitted within five years of the death of the injured person.

  • Procedure

    When you apply for social compensation benefits, the social compensation provider will check whether you are entitled to benefits for participation in working life. You will receive a notification of the decision and, if applicable, information on the benefits granted as well as other necessary evidence.

    You can apply for social compensation benefits in writing.

    • If necessary, you can make an appointment with your contact person at the pension authority or at your responsible office.
    • You will then discuss whether you are entitled to social compensation benefits and what support services can be offered.
    • If necessary, the case management team can discuss the further procedure and possible entitlements to benefits with you that go beyond the general duty to provide information and advice.
    • If you are entitled to social compensation benefits, your contact person will discuss the next steps with you.
    • The contact person will provide you with the relevant documents. If necessary, complete the documents, enclose the required evidence or supporting documents and send the documents back to your contact person.
    • Your claims will be determined ex officio on the basis of the documents. The authority will inform you of the result in the form of a decision, which is usually sent to you by letter.
    • If entitlements to benefits have been determined, you will receive an approval notice. If no entitlements are determined, you will receive a rejection notice.
    • The eligible costs and approved cash benefits will be transferred to the account you have specified or to the account of the service provider (e.g. workshop for people with disabilities).

    More information

    Legal remedy
    Appeal: An appeal can be lodged against a decision within one month of its notification. Further information regarding the procedure and the competent authority to which you can lodge an appeal can be found in the notification of your application. The appeal can be submitted in writing and electronically.

  • Necessary Documents
    • Proof of recognized injury
    • Proof of the consequences of the injury

      For example:

      • Medical certificates
    • Other evidence

      Certificates for the respective measure

    • Proof of costs

      For example:

      • Catering
      • childcare
      • or similar

  • Competent Department

  • Fees / Costs

    gebührenfrei

  • Deadlines & processing time

    What deadlines must be paid attention to?

    For injured parties: There is no time limit.
    For surviving dependants, the application must be submitted within 5 years of the death of the person who died as a result of the injury.

    How long does it take to process

    The prerequisite for processing is that all mandatory information has been provided. The processing time varies depending on the competent authority and the individual case. It is not possible to give an exact time and it depends on the complexity of the individual case.

  • Legal Bases

  • More Information

Feedback on quality

Your feedback will help us to identify and solve problems. You will not receive a personal response. Please do not submit any personal data.

Did you find what you were looking for?

How do you rate this page?*

*Mandatory field

This page has been automatically translated by DeepL. We cannot guarantee that the translation is correct.

The official information in German is complete and correct. 07.11.2025

Dienstleistungen · syfq nzm