One-Time Needs

The following criteria may determine whether you are eligible for One-Time Needs:

• You receive cost-of-living assistance or basic welfare for the elderly and people with reduced earnings capacity.
• You are in need of assistance. This means you cannot fully cover your One-Time Needs with your own resources and efforts.
• You have reached the standard retirement age or are over 18 years old and unable to work because you are temporarily or permanently fully incapacitated for work. You are considered to have a temporary total incapacity to work if you are unable to work regularly for at least 3 hours a day for more than 6 months.
• You are not a student and are not enrolled in vocational training.
• You do not receive basic income support for job seekers (basic income support) or benefits under the Asylum-Seekers’ Benefits Act ( AsylbLG).

You can apply for One-Time Needs at your local social services office or online here.

Important: If you receive Cost-of-living assistance or Basic welfare for the elderly and people with reduced earnings capacity, you do not need to submit an application. You simply need to inform the Social Services Office that you wish to claim One-Time Needs and then submit supporting documentation to be reimbursed for the associated costs.

You’ll soon be able to use the online form to submit this documentation as well. The Social Services Office will then review your application to determine whether you’re eligible to receive the benefit.

One-Time Needs include:

• Initial furnishings for an apartment, including household appliances

  This may be the case, for example, when you move into your own apartment for the first time, after a fire in your home, when renting an apartment for the first time after a lengthy prison sentence, or after a separation from your partner

• Initial clothing purchases

  For example, following a house fire or a flood. Special consideration may also be given to exceptional circumstances, such as a significant change in weight.

• Purchases and repairs of orthopedic shoes, repairs of therapeutic devices and equipment, and the rental of therapeutic devices

  This applies both when you are required to make copayments to your health insurance provider and in cases where the health insurance provider does not cover any costs at all.

• Initial purchases related to pregnancy and childbirth 

Note: As a rule, you cannot receive this benefit retroactively.

• The decision on whether you will receive the benefit depends on your income and financial circumstances. The social services office in charge may ask you to provide additional information or to submit documents or forms.
• Submit the form and all required documents together.
• The social services office will determine your eligibility and notify you of the result. This is done through a decision notice, which is usually sent to you by mail.
• If your need is determined, you will receive a notice of approval. If your need is not determined, you will receive a notice of denial.
• In both cases, the notice must state the reasons for the decision.
• The approval notice must also specify the amount of the benefit to be paid, as well as the payment period, if applicable. On the specified date, the Social Services Office will transfer the money to your bank account. You may also provide a third party’s bank account for the transfer.
• If you do not have your own bank account, you will receive the money as a cash payment or by check.

If you do not live alone, the social services office will take into account the income of all members of your household to determine your need for assistance. 

This includes, for example:

• Earned income
• Alimony
• Pension income

Certain assets are also considered exempt assets and are not taken into account.

Under current law, these include, for example:

• Small amounts of cash (liquid assets per adult: 10,000 euros; per child: 500 euros) 

  or

• a reasonably sized residential property (depending on the size of the house, the number of residents, and whether the house is owner-occupied).

The processing time depends on the individual case. The responsible social services office will process your application as quickly as possible. You can speed up the process by submitting all required documents to the social services office in a timely manner.

If you disagree with the decision to approve or deny your application, you may file an appeal within one month of receiving the decision. Further information on how to file an appeal can be found in the decision notice.

The specific documents required depend on the individual case. The relevant social services office will inform you of the documents you need. If available, these are typically documents such as:  

• A valid ID card or passport, and, if applicable, a certificate of residence
• Proof of a temporary or permanent total disability
• Proof of income
• Proof of assets, such as bank statements and/or savings balances
• Rental agreement
• Proof of expenses incurred, such as utility bills, heating costs, or insurance premiums
• Proof of health and long-term care insurance,
• Initial notice of old-age pension benefits.