Housing benefit

If you earn too little money to pay for your home, you can apply for Housing benefit. The benefit is aimed at both tenants and owners.
Illustration einer Frau- Sie steht im offenen Fenster und gießt Blumen in einem Blumenkasten
Illustration der Wegweiserin
Housing benefit is an individual benefit. If you would like to check online in advance whether you are eligible, I recommend the housing benefit calculator from the Federal Ministry of Housing. You can find more information on this in the "Further links" section at the bottom of this page.

The most important facts in brief

Housing benefit is a financial subsidy towards rent or charges (for owner-occupiers) for households with low incomes. Housing benefit makes an effective contribution to reducing the burden of housing costs.

The entitlement and amount of housing benefit depends on the number of household members to be taken into account, the total income and the amount of eligible rent or charges.

The most comprehensive housing benefit improvement to date - the Housing Benefit Plus Act - came into force on January 1, 2023. The amount of housing benefit was increased significantly and a permanent heating cost component and a climate component were introduced. Housing benefit for existing housing benefit households has doubled on average, as has the group of recipients: this has increased the effectiveness of housing benefit like never before and provided relief for the low-income households that need it most: including many pensioners, families and single parents and people who work every day for the minimum wage.

Increase in housing benefit from 1 January 2025

The Housing Benefit Act stipulates a regular increase every two years. This guarantees that the Housing benefit is adjusted in line with price and rent developments in Germany. Housing benefit was last increased on January 1, 2025. The Housing benefit plus calculator 2025 offers you an initial orientation as to whether and to what extent you may be entitled to housing benefit.

To receive housing benefit, you must submit an application. The local housing benefit authority of your municipal, city, local or district administration will check the application and let you know whether you are entitled to housing benefit. You can also complete the application online.

Who is entitled?

As a general rule, anyone with a low income should check their entitlement to Housing benefit. This applies in particular to:

- Pensioners with a low pension,

- Families - including single parents and couples - with low incomes,

- Students, unless the entire household is entitled to BAföG,

- Nursing home residents.

Owners can also receive housing benefit, as housing benefit is also paid as an encumbrance allowance for owner-occupied housing. Both the debt service (interest and repayment) and the management costs are taken into account.

If you receive Citizen's benefit or welfare assistance (Cost-of-living assistance or Basic welfare for the elderly and people with reduced earnings capacity), you are not entitled to Housing benefit.

The most important topics relating to Housing benefit

Further links

Illustration der Wegweiserin.Sie sitzt auf dem Rand eines großen Bildschirms.Ihre rechte Hand hält ein Dokument, darüber schwebt ein weißer Haken auf rotem Grund.

Apply for benefit online

You can apply for Housing benefit directly online here.

Social benefits from other subject areas

Illustration des Wegweisers. Vor ihm steht ein voller Einkaufskorb, dahinter sieht man ein Schild, auf dem Kasse steht. Eine Gedankenblase zeigt ein Haus.

Citizen's benefit

If you have too little money to cover your living expenses, you may be entitled to Citizen's benefit. In order to receive it, you must either live in a community of need with a citizen's allowance recipient or generally be able to work. You can find out more about Citizen's benefit here.

Eine illustrierte Figur steht an der Kasse mit Einkäufen.

Cost-of-living assistance

You are not permanently incapacitated for work or of retirement age, but are currently unable to work for health reasons? Then you may be entitled to this benefit. You can find out more here.