Social compensation

If you have suffered damage to your health as a result of certain events, you can receive social compensation benefits in the form of service, cash and non-cash benefits. The damage to your health may be the result of an act of violence, war, civilian service or a specific vaccination.
Soziale Entschädigung
From 2024, both the application process and access to benefits have been simplified: you submit a basic application for social compensation and the authority checks which benefits you can receive. To support you in the application process, you can be guided through the process by the so-called "case management".

The most important facts in brief

You have suffered damage to your health as a result of a harmful event in Germany. The damage to health can be physical or psychological damage.

These can be harmful events:

  • Acts of violence (physical and psychological, e.g. attacks, abuse, acts of terrorism)
  • Effects of war in either world
  • . assaults, abuse, acts of terrorism)
  • the effects of war in both world wars
  • events during civilian service
  • state injustice in the GDR
  • vaccinations

If adirect link between the harmful event and the damage to health can be proven, you can receive benefits under social compensation law.

Under certain circumstances, injuries sustained abroad can also be recognized.

The benefits are intended to help mitigate the economic and health consequences of the damaging event, for example by compensating for any loss of income and/or covering the costs of medical treatment and rehabilitation.

Affected persons can be victims of civilian service, war victims, vaccination victims or victims of violence. Witnesses to a violent crime may also be entitled to benefits.

The benefits are clarified with the relevant authority, which will inform you which benefits you may be eligible for. These may include counseling and support services, benefits for medical treatment, participation, benefits for the need for long-term care, psychotherapeutic services and compensation payments.

If you need urgent psychological help after an act of violence, you can go to a trauma outpatient clinic for quick help.

A few details are sufficient for the first visit to a trauma outpatient clinic or you can submit a brief application with support so that you can have up to 15 sessions there.

Who is entitled?

You are entitled to social compensation benefits if

  • you have suffered a health impairment in Germany due to a damaging event, a direct or substantial connection can be proven and
  • the health impairment has resulted in physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments.

In addition, you may be entitled to social compensation under certain conditions if

  • you were temporarily abroad at the time of the offense and suffered an injurious event there or
  • you are resident abroad but suffered an injurious event in Germany.

You have no claim if

  • the harmful event, the damage to health or the connection between the damage to health and the event cannot be proven.
  • an event does not fall under the legal definition of a "harmful event". Residential burglaries, for example, are generally not considered acts of violence.

The harmful event occurred before January 1, 2024 - in this case, the provisions of the Victim Compensation Act and its subsidiary legislation valid until December 31, 2023 apply.

The most important topics relating to social compensation

Offers of help and advice centers

Illustration des Wegweisers. Sie sitzt auf dem Rand eines großen Monitors. Ihre rechte Hand ruht auf einem Dokument, das den Antrag darstellt. Darüber schwebt ein weißer Haken auf rotem Grund

Apply for benefits online

You can apply for social compensation directly online here.

Eine illustrierte Figur steht an der Kasse mit Einkäufen.

Cost-of-living assistance

Are you currently unable to work for health reasons? Then you may be entitled to this benefit.

You can apply for Cost-of-living assistance directly online here.

Illustration einer Frau- Sie steht im offenen Fenster und gießt Blumen in einem Blumenkasten

Housing benefit

The burden of housing costs is high for many low-income households. This is where Housing Benefit Plus can help: Housing benefit is a state subsidy towards housing costs - both for rented accommodation and owner-occupied homes. Housing benefit plus supports households with low incomes above the basic income support level and thus ensures adequate and family-friendly housing. You can find more information about Housing benefit here.

Die Wegweiserin und ein Schwerbehindertenausweis zu verschiedenen Behinderungen.

Severely Disabled Pass

If you have a disability with a degree of disability (GdB) of at least 50, you can obtain a Severely Disabled Pass. The Severely Disabled Pass proves the severity of the disability and can be presented when applying for or claiming compensation for disadvantages and benefits for people with a severe disability.

Die Wegweiserin steht an einer Waschmaschine. Es sind ebenfalls Putzmittel zu sehen.

Support for Aging at Home

Are you currently no longer able to run your household alone for health reasons? Is there no one living with you who can take on these tasks? The Social Welfare Office can support you with Support for Aging at Home.