Basic Income Support (Grundsicherungsgeld) - Initial Application

If you do not have enough money to cover your living expenses, you may be eligible for basic income support. To receive it, you must either live with someone who receives basic income support or be generally able to work.

You can apply for basic income support directly online here.

Digital Application Assistant

Step 1

Digital Application Assistant: Find the relevant authority & submit an application

Use our wizard to find the right authority in just a few steps and submit your application straight away.

Please start by entering your place of residence so that we can show you the relevant information, application forms, your relevant authority and the applicable data protection regulations. We will then ask you four short questions to help us find the right authority for you.

In which town or parish do you live?

Where are you looking?

Note on Submitting Applications

Please note that you can currently submit your application only through selected partner portals . When you enter a location or ZIP code, we will determine the responsible agency and the corresponding partner portal. You will then receive a link to that portal. On the partner portal, you will find further information on how to submit your application. It is currently not possible to submit an application directly through the social services platform.

You can also use this link to submit the following applications and notifications:

Application for Continued Benefits – to extend your current entitlement to basic income support
Notification of Change – to report changes in your personal or financial circumstances
Application for one-time benefits – e.g., for initial furnishings for an apartment, initial supplies following a birth, or replacement of defective household appliances
Application for a loan – e.g., in cases of urgent need such as an impending power shutoff, a house fire, or the loss of important items

The Online Application – Explained Simply

Please enter your ZIP code. We will use the location you provide to determine whether you can submit an online application.

Fill out the online application. You can conveniently fill out the online form from home. Supporting documents can simply be photographed and uploaded.

Submit your application online. Before doing so, please check that you have provided all the necessary information and supporting documents correctly.

Please allow time for processing. If there are any follow-up questions or new information regarding your application, the relevant office will contact you.

Information on Data Storage

If you log in with your service account, you can save your application and continue it at a later time. Please note, however, that the information you have entered will only be saved for 24 hours. After 24 hours have elapsed, you will need to start the application over from the beginning.

In a nutshell

Basic income support covers your standard monthly needs, housing and heating costs, and any additional needs you may have in special circumstances.

Am I eligible?

You are eligible for basic income support if you

at least 15 years old and not yet of retirement age,
are a permanent resident of Germany,
are able to work at least 3 hours a day,
and are in need of assistance.

This also applies if you are working but earn too little to cover your living expenses (low-income earners).

People who are unable to work and are in need of assistance, but who live in a household (such as a family) with someone who receives basic income support, may also be eligible. This includes, for example, children under 15.

Required Documents

Use the online application form to apply for your basic income support. You can also submit your application in person at your local Job center.

You will need the following documents for your application. You can take photos of them while filling out the application, but they must be clearly legible in the photo.

Identification card and certificate of residence
Health insurance card
Social Security card
Rental agreement and proof of monthly heating and utility costs (e.g., the most recent utility bill)
Your bank statements for the last 3 months

Deadlines

There are no deadlines for submitting applications.

That's how long it takes

Once your documents are complete, the Job enter will process your application. This applies to both new applications and applications for renewal of basic income support.

These costs are incurred

There is no charge for submitting the application.

Shared Responsibility

The Job center is responsible for your basic income support. There, you can receive all benefits “under one roof.” Job centers are either “joint agencies”—a joint administration of the Federal Employment Agency and the locally responsible municipality—or purely “municipal Job centers.”