Then close the box and use this Website in German.
Applying for housing benefit for the first time or for a new application
If you only have a low income, you can apply for housing benefit to reduce your housing costs.
-
Basic information
Housing assistance is intended to help you secure adequate, family-friendly housing.
You can apply for housing assistance as:
- Rent subsidy for tenants
- Subtenants of residential units
- Residents of a residential facility
- Residents of a residential facility as defined by the respective state law
- this also includes people with disabilities who are not merely temporarily housed in special living arrangements for the purpose of receiving integration assistance.
- Mortgage subsidy
- for owners of a single-family home or a condominium
You are not eligible for housing assistance if your housing costs are already covered by other social benefits, such as:
- Basic Income Support
- Basic old-age security
- for reduced earning capacity
- Living expenses benefits
- other transfer payments that take your housing costs into account
Requirements
You are eligible for a rent subsidy as:
- Tenants of residential property,
- a subtenant of living space,
- residents of a cooperative or foundation apartment,
- residents of a residential home,
- tenants with similar rights of use, in particular holders of permanent tenancy rights,
- Owners of an apartment building (3 or more apartments), a commercial building or a business, if you live in this building,
- Owners of a detached or semi-detached house in which you live, but which also contains business premises to such an extent that it can no longer be regarded as a home,
- Owners of a full-time agricultural business whose residential part is not separated from the business part.
- women living in women's shelters, even if the remuneration is calculated on a daily basis.
- A person who has been assigned to homeless accommodation or third-party accommodation by the homelessness authority, even if the usage fee (which is not calculated according to the number of days or staggered according to adults and children, for example) is paid to the homelessness authority.
You are eligible for a housing allowance as:
- Owners of their own home or a condominium,
- Owners of a small housing estate,
- Owners of a part-time agricultural business,
- Owners of a full-time agricultural property if the residential and commercial parts are separate and a housing benefit calculation can be made for the residential part,
- Owners of a permanent right of residence similar to ownership
- holders of heritable building rights and those who are entitled to the transfer of ownership of the building or apartment or to the transfer or granting of the heritable building right.
- The owner of the dwelling who occupies the dwelling and bears the burden for it.
-
Procedure
It is best to contact the responsible office in advance to ask for the documents you need.
You can send your application via the online service or in writing to the relevant housing benefit office.
Online
- Use the online service "Initial application for housing benefit rent subsidy".
- The online service guides you through the application step by step.
- The authority will check your application and send you a notification.
- If approved, the housing benefit is usually granted for 12 months
In writing
- Use the appropriate application form.
- Send the completed application form together with the documents by post or e-mail to the relevant housing benefit office
- The authority will check your application and send you a decision.
- If approved, the housing benefit is usually granted for 12 months.
More information
To prevent or detect the unlawful receipt of housing assistance, the housing assistance agency may regularly verify the information provided by all household members by cross-checking data—including through automated means—in particular with the Pension Insurance Data Center.
For example, a cross-check may be performed to determine
- whether basic income support is being paid while housing allowance is being received,
- whether the recipient is engaged in employment subject to social insurance contributions or in marginal employment,
- or the amount of investment income for which an exemption order has been issued.
It is also possible to cross-check with the registration authority regarding registered addresses, housing status, and the timing of address changes. In addition, the housing allowance authority may request account information from the Federal Central Tax Office. Suspected cases of fraud are generally reported to the public prosecutor’s office.
Through these checks, the housing assistance authority can determine, for example,
- whether housing assistance is being received multiple times,
- whether transfer payments that would lead to disqualification from housing assistance are being received at the same time,
- whether the information provided in the housing allowance application
- regarding income from employment,
- income from one or more pensions,
- and income from capital gains (interest or dividends),
- whether, in the case of initial unemployment, unemployment benefits were discontinued (for example, due to taking on new employment), and
- whether the original residence for which housing assistance was provided is still actually being used.
The review may be conducted up to 10 years after notification of the relevant housing allowance approval.
-
Necessary Documents
- Comment
It is best to contact the responsible office in advance to ask for the required documents. In principle, you must provide the following proof of housing costs or charges:
- Documents about transfer services
For example, assistance with living costs, social benefits, basic benefits for old age and reduced earning capacity, benefits under the Asylum Seekers' Benefits Act (Asylbewerberleistungsgesetz)
- Certificate of merit
Increased income-related expenses are to be proven according to the tax assessment notice, current notices on pension payments of any kind, on benefits according to the Third Book of the Social Code - Employment Promotion (for example, unemployment benefit I, short-time allowance, transitional allowance)
- Proof of sick pay and other wage replacement benefits
- for self-employed persons/traders: last tax assessment notice
- Income of all household members
To be on the safe side, please declare all income of all household members in money or money's worth, regardless of its source and regardless of whether the income is taxable or not. In this way, you will avoid unnecessary queries. The housing allowance office will then check which of the incomes are chargeable.
- Students: Certificate of enrollment
- If applicable: proof of health insurance
- If applicable: proof of pension or life insurance coverage
- If applicable: annex to the application for housing allowance in case of expenses for the fulfillment of legal maintenance obligations.
- If applicable: severely disabled person's certificate (if applicable, proof of care allowance payments)
- If applicable: proof of residence status
In the case of foreigners from third countries, proof of residence status and duration of stay must be submitted.
Other EU citizens must submit a certificate of right of residence/EU residence permit and registration with the registration office.
- You will also need the following documents to apply for a rent subsidy:
Landlord Certification Form (usually provided by housing assistance agencies).
- You will need the following documents to apply for an encumbrance subsidy:
- Form for determining the burden from the debt service
- Proof of the burden from the debt service (certificate of borrowed funds, last payment voucher, interest and redemption schedule, if applicable)
- Proof of the amount of the purchase price or construction costs (also for modernizations)
- Real estate tax assessment notice/proof of the amount of ground rents
- If applicable, proof of income from the transfer of rooms and areas to third parties
- Calculation of living space in accordance with DIN 277 or the Living Space Ordinance (WoFlV, building application)
- If applicable, notice of the building subsidy
- Proof of ownership, excerpt from land register, purchase contract
- Comment
-
Online Services
-
Housing allowance rent subsidy initial application
You can conveniently complete your request online. The application will be sent to the office responsible for you.
-
-
Fees / Costs
gebührenfrei
-
Deadlines & processing time
What deadlines must be paid attention to?
You submit the application by the last day of the month from which you wish to apply for housing benefit at the latest. As a rule, you will receive housing benefit from the first day of the month in which your application is submitted to the housing benefit office.
How long does it take to process
A decision on the application will be made immediately.
The processing time depends, among other things, on the completeness of your information and the submission of the evidence required for processing the application.
Longer processing times are not at your expense: the entitlement to housing benefit is checked from the month in which the application is submitted. If you are already entitled to housing benefit, you will not lose any housing benefit
Frequently asked Questions
-
Who is a household member?
Household member is the person entitled to housing allowance.
Household members are also:
- the spouse or partner who is not permanently separated
- the person living in a community of responsibility and responsibility for others
- siblings, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews
- parents-in-law, children-in-law, stepparents
- parents, children, siblings of the life partner
- Sister-in-law, brother-in-law and his children, niece/nephew of the spouse
- Foster children regardless of their age and foster parents
-
What income should be taken into account?
Annual income, as defined by the Housing Allowance Act, is the sum of positive income (gross income minus income-related expenses) as defined in Section 2(1) and (2) of the Income Tax Act, plus the income specified in Section 14(2) of the Housing Allowance Act, minus the deductions for taxes and social security contributions for each household member.
To calculate housing allowance, a projected assessment is made—that is, an estimate of expected income. The 12 months preceding the application may serve as the basis for this projected assessment.
All taxable and tax-exempt income must always be reported accurately.
Examples:
- for employees: wages/salary (earnings statement)
- For retirees: All types of pensions (pension notices, pension statements)
- For individuals subject to income tax (unless proof is provided by the earnings statement): all income, to be documented by:
Income tax prepayment notice
Most recent income tax assessment
Most recent income tax return - For recipients of child support: Proof of the payer, the type, amount, and recipient of the payments
- For children: Proof of child benefit
- For unemployed individuals: Approval notice from the employment office regarding unemployment benefits or basic income support
- For apprentices or students: Proof of the type, amount, and recipient of educational assistance (e.g., BAföG, vocational training allowance)
- For recipients of social assistance or war victims’ benefits: Proof of the type, amount, and recipient of the benefits
- Proof of other benefits: (e.g., proof of interest income or other investment income, rental income, benefits from third parties—including those provided on a loan basis, if applicable—in-kind benefits, scholarships)
-
What is a "negative certificate"?
If you apply for housing allowance in another municipality or in another federal state, the responsible authority usually requires the submission of a negative certificate. This is then issued on request by the housing allowance office of the former place of residence. This is to check whether and until when housing benefit was paid.
The issuing of the negative certificate is free of charge. A personal appearance to get the certificate is not required. The application is made informally. It is also possible to apply for the negative certificate by telephone. An authorized person is entitled to take out the negative certificate at the housing allowance office on behalf of the applicant. The power of attorney must be presented.
-
What do I need to communicate?
Changes to be reported immediately include:
- Number of household members,
- Decrease in rent or burden,
- increase in income, and
- Change in living quarters, including within the home.
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. 30.07.2026