Use a computer or cell phone with an internet connection. Start the application process for the desired benefit through the social services platform. Fill out the fields as completely as possible. Upload the required supporting documents and submit the application—with or without all supporting documents—directly online via the website. The relevant authority will receive your application and process it. The more complete your supporting documents are, the faster your application can be processed. If there are any questions or missing documents, your case worker will contact you by phone, mail, or email. You will usually receive your decision by mail, though increasingly often by email as well. Once your application is submitted and forwarded to the responsible authority, the application and your data will be completely deleted from our system.
Questions About the Application Process
In our FAQ, you'll find answers to the most common questions about the social platform.
Questions About the Application Process
If your local agency is not yet connected to the system, you must contact them directly.
In most cases, you will then only be able to submit a paper application and not an online one.
All you need is a computer, a tablet, or your cell phone. These devices must be connected to the Internet. You do not need a printer. If you only have your documents in paper form, a cell phone photo of the document is sufficient. A scanner is not required.
If you wish to authenticate yourself using the Online ID, please review the requirements in the “Online ID” section.
To ensure that the applications process as smoothly as possible, we recommend using the latest version of your web browser. For example, use Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, or Microsoft Edge.
You can download a current browser for free here:
Google Chrome: https://www.google.com/chrome/
Mozilla Firefox: https://www.mozilla.org/de/firefox/new/
After you submit your application, your entries will be compiled into a PDF document. To view the file, you’ll need a PDF reader. You can download one for free here:
PDF Reader: https://www.adobe.com/de/acrobat/pdf-reader.html
You don't need a printer. The application process is entirely digital and paperless. All you need is a computer, a tablet, or your cell phone with an internet connection. If you only have your supporting documents in paper form, a photo of the document taken with your cell phone is sufficient. You don't need a scanner for this.
Yes, you can also submit an application on the social services platform even if you do not register on the platform or create an account. In that case, you will need your electronic ID card or online ID. Authentication using your ID card takes place at the end, once you have completed the application and are ready to submit it.
To do this, you’ll need:
- the online ID function on your ID card must be activated,
- your six-digit PIN,
- a compatible smartphone or card reader.
Important: If you have not registered, the “temporary save” feature will not be available. This means you cannot pause work on your application and resume it at a later time.
Yes, applications can be submitted by court-appointed guardians as well as by representatives. You can select the appropriate option on the application form.
Use of the social services platform and the submission of any online applications for social benefits are free of charge. Administrative fees apply only to certain administrative services—just as they would if you were to visit a government office in person.
The processing time may vary depending on the application and your personal situation. For this reason, most applications allow you to save your progress along the way. Alternatively, you can submit the application online with just a few details about your situation to ensure that the deadline is met. You can submit all additional information later. Please keep in mind that a decision on your application cannot be made until all required information has been provided.
As a general rule, your data is saved whenever you switch to a new section. This allows you to save your entries temporarily, regardless of whether the application is complete. This ensures that your entries are not lost and can be accessed for later processing.
If you are authenticating solely with your ID card, you cannot save your application temporarily.
If you do not have all the required documents on hand when entering your information, you can still submit your application immediately to meet the deadline. You should submit any missing supporting documents as soon as possible, because a decision cannot be made until your application is complete. However, you cannot yet submit your supporting documents digitally via the social services platform; instead, you must submit them to the relevant government agency.
Your case worker will contact you and request this documentation from you. You can also contact the appropriate office directly. To do so, use the location filter on the “Submit an Application” page when selecting your application. Under “Where can I go?”, enter the ZIP code or city that you also listed in your application. The contact information for the relevant office will then be displayed. You should submit the missing supporting documents as soon as possible, because a decision cannot be made until your application is complete.
Once you have successfully submitted the application, a processing number—known as the submission ID—will be displayed. Make a note of this number. If you have any questions or need to submit additional documentation, you can provide the submission ID to your local agency. We also recommend that you save all documents available for download on the website to your computer, tablet, or smartphone. These include, among other things, a summary of the information you’ve provided. This summary usually also includes an overview of the required supporting documents. If you have questions later, you can check here at any time to see what you entered in the application or what is still missing. Submit the missing supporting documents as soon as possible, because a decision cannot be made until your application is complete.
The average processing time varies depending on the applicant and the agency responsible. As a general rule, the more thoroughly the application is completed and the more supporting documents are included, the faster it can be processed.
If you have any questions, you can contact the relevant authority directly at any time. The relevant authority will be displayed when you enter your ZIP code during the online application process.
Please read the error message carefully. It usually provides information about the cause of the technical problem and how to resolve it. Please also check your Internet connection. You need an internet connection to use the Social Platform. If you are unable to resolve the problem, please click “Back,” then review all fields and your entries, and try to continue the application or resubmit it. In many cases, this will resolve the issue.
If the problem persists, you can contact the social platform’s information hotline between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. at 0211 837-1955.
Your application data is temporarily saved in your user account after each completed section. However, this does not apply if you do not have a user account and are authenticating yourself solely with your electronic ID card. Please note that the application is not legally valid until it has been submitted.