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Applying for special benefits in individual cases for living expenses as part of social compensation Notlagen und Opferhilfen Sozialleistungen

Injured parties and surviving dependants are entitled to benefits for living expenses if they are in need of financial assistance due to the consequences of the injury.

  • Basic information

    Benefits for living expenses are intended to ensure the necessary and reasonable needs of daily life. This also includes housing and heating costs. If you are unable to provide for your own living expenses due to your injury, you can receive benefits for living expenses.

    The injured parties themselves are entitled to benefits, but not their relatives such as (spouses) partners or children. They can receive benefits from other social security systems (e.g. SGB II or SGB XII).

    Surviving dependants can also receive benefits for living expenses. They do not have to have been injured themselves. However, they will only receive these benefits for a period of up to five years after the death of the injured party. This is intended to give the surviving dependants enough time after the person's death to adjust to the changed economic situation and secure their own livelihood.

    However, the financial inability to cover living expenses must expressly have arisen as a result of the death of the injured person and not exist or have existed independently of it.

    Please note that your social compensation provider will decide whether and to what extent you will 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.
    • As a result of the injury, you are unable to secure your livelihood by using your income and assets.

    Surviving dependants:

    • You are a surviving dependant of an injured person.
    • You are not in a position to secure your livelihood through the use of your income and assets as a result of the injury.

  • Procedure

    When you apply for social compensation benefits, the social compensation provider will check whether you are entitled to special benefits in individual cases - in this case assistance with living expenses. You will receive a notification of the decision and, if applicable, information about the benefits granted as well as other necessary evidence.

    You can apply for social compensation benefits in writing.

    • You can make an appointment with your contact person at the pension authority or at your responsible office.
    • They will then discuss with you whether you are entitled to social compensation benefits and what support services can be offered.
    • 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.
    • The eligible costs and approved cash benefits will be transferred to the account you have specified.

    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 the harmful event

      For example:

      • Notice of recognition of social compensation
    • Medical evidence of the consequences of the injury and treatment history

      For example:

      • Hospital report
      • Therapy report
      • Medical certificates
    • Proof of financial need for assistance

      For example:

      • Proof of income
      • Proof of assets
      • Proof of housing costs
      • If applicable, proof of education and participation from another social welfare provider

  • Competent Department

  • Fees / Costs

    gebührenfrei

  • Deadlines & processing time

    What deadlines must be paid attention to?

    There is no deadline.

    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

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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

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