You can use the Social Benefit Finder to find out which social benefit you may be eligible for. However, it does not replace the official application. Based on 18 questions about your personal circumstances, the social benefits finder provides a non-binding assessment of possible benefits. Your responsible office will then check whether these benefits are actually suitable for you. If necessary, they will obtain further information from you, which may also mean that you are not eligible for a benefit.
Questions about the functions
In our FAQ you will find the answers to the most frequently asked questions about the Social Platform.
Date of translation: 20 December 2023
Benefits finder
The Social Benefits Finder is a non-binding service offered by the Social Platform. It offers you support and guidance if you don't know exactly what social benefits are available and which ones might be suitable for you.
To find the right social benefit for you, answer 18 questions about your circumstances in the social benefit finder. The result is an overview of possible social benefits. One click takes you to the relevant information pages and, if required, directly to the corresponding application page. There you can apply for the desired social benefit online and find contact details for the office responsible for you. The social benefit finder is primarily aimed at people who want to get an initial overview of social benefits in Germany.
The benefits finder is for guidance only. It tells you which benefits you may be eligible for. It is not a substitute for applying for a benefit and makes no binding statement as to whether you can actually receive it. Only your local competent office will decide on the application.
Not all social benefits available in Germany are listed in the Social Benefits Finder. You can only find the most important social benefits for which there are applications on the social platform via the social benefits finder. However, the service is continuously being expanded and revised.
The data you enter in the benefits finder will not be saved or forwarded. You can also use the benefits finder more than once.
The Social Benefit Finder uses its 18 questions about your personal circumstances to make a rough assessment of which benefits you may be eligible for. Your responsible office will then check whether these benefits are actually suitable for you. If necessary, they will obtain further information from you, which may also mean that you are not eligible for a benefit.
The benefits finder does not replace the application for a benefit and does not make a binding statement as to whether you are actually entitled to the benefits marked in green on the results page. It merely tells you which benefits you may be eligible for after they have been checked by your responsible office. Only your local competent office will decide on the application.
The data you enter in the benefits finder will not be saved or forwarded. In principle, compliance with data protection requirements on the social platform has top priority. The handling of user data in accordance with data protection law is guaranteed. Find out more about data protection here.
Advice center finder
The advice-center-finder is a free service offered by the social platform. People seeking advice can easily find a suitable advice center in their area, regardless of the provider. This digital and nationwide service is currently available on the topics of debt, addiction and emergency housing assistance.
If you are looking for counseling on addiction, debt or emergency housing assistance, the Counseling Center Finder will help you find a suitable counseling center near you.
By entering a search term (e.g. debt counseling or addiction) and the city or zip code in the search mask, you will receive a list specifically tailored to your requirements.
You can also start the search without a specific topic and just enter the city or zip code. You will then receive an overview of counseling services in your area.
Appointments can only be booked with "affiliated" advice centers that have activated themselves for this purpose. You can recognize this by the fact that the "Book appointment" button is displayed when you click on the desired advice centre and the specific offer.
If this is not yet technically possible, you will receive the contact details of advice centers in your area and further information, such as opening hours and a web address with the full range of services, when you make an appointment.
Online appointment booking
It is advantageous to book an appointment in advance so that you can be put in touch with a suitable contact person for your request and to avoid waiting times. In urgent cases and if no appointment is available at short notice via online appointment booking, you can contact the relevant advice center directly and ask for an appointment.
The following steps are required to book an appointment:
If you wish to remain anonymous, you are welcome to enter a fantasy name when booking an appointment. The advice centers will treat your request confidentially in any case. However, a fantasy name is not necessary.
Most counseling centers also offer the option of anonymous counseling. The employees with whom you speak or write are subject to legal confidentiality. This means you can be sure that no confidential information will be passed on to health insurance companies, pension funds or other authorities.