Basic Income Support (Grundsicherungsgeld) - One-Time Benefits and Loans

In a nutshell

In addition to the standard monthly benefits (basic needs, additional needs, housing costs) paid on a regular basis, you can apply for financial assistance in the form of one-time payments or an interest-free loan in certain life situations. This assistance is intended to cover special or unforeseen needs that cannot be met by your current standard benefits.

Typical examples of one-time benefits include:

• Initial furnishings for an apartment (e.g., after moving out of your parents’ home)
• Initial furnishings for pregnancy 
• Initial expenses related to childbirth

A loan may be granted if there is an urgent need that must be met immediately, e.g.:

• Imminent disconnection of electricity or gas
• Fire or water damage in the home
• Loss of important items due to theft or an accident
• Replacement of urgently needed household appliances

The Job Center reviews each application individually. The review determines: Are you eligible, what benefits do you receive (cash or in-kind), and how much are they? 

For a loan, repayment begins the month after disbursement and is made in small, monthly installments that are deducted from your basic income support.

You may be eligible for one-time benefits or a loan if

• you receive basic income support or are in need of assistance as defined by SGB II,
• the specific need is not covered by the standard benefit,
• the need is necessary, reasonable, substantiated, and, if applicable, compelling.

Even if your income barely covers the subsistence level and you therefore do not receive monthly standard benefits, loans may be granted in cases of hardship—for example, if you are facing an impending energy disconnection or have a broken refrigerator.
A loan is granted only if you have no assets and there is no other way to cover the need.

To apply for one-time benefits, you may need:

• A description of your needs (What needs to be purchased and why?)
• Supporting documents such as cost estimates, invoices, or photos of defective appliances
• For rental apartments: e.g., the landlord’s consent for renovation costs
• Bank statements to verify your financial situation

To apply for a loan, you may need:

• Description of the emergency situation (e.g., impending power shutoff, apartment fire, loss of important items)
• Supporting documents such as demand letters, disconnection notices, repair orders, or police reports of theft
• Bank statements to verify your current financial situation
• A plausible explanation of the urgency and unavoidability of the need

In both cases, the Job Center may request additional documents if they are necessary for reviewing the application.

There are no deadlines for submitting applications.      

You can apply for one-time benefits or a loan at any time.
However, it is important to note that the benefit will be granted no earlier than the month in which the application is received by the Job Center. Retroactive payments for previous months are not possible.

Once you have submitted the application and all required documents, the application will be reviewed. The processing time may vary. 

You will receive a notice regarding the decision on your application (approved or denied). 

There is no charge for submitting the application.