Housing benefit; applying for a rent or encumbrance allowance

Purpose

Housing benefit is paid on application as a subsidy towards the cost of owner-occupied housing to ensure adequate and family-friendly housing.

Object

Housing benefit is paid as a rent subsidy for rented apartments and comparable housing, and as an encumbrance subsidy for owner-occupied and comparable housing.

Entitled persons

Tenants of an apartment can apply for housing benefit as a rent subsidy. The same applies to people who sublet or live in a home (e.g. retirement or nursing home).

Owners of their own home, a condominium or an agricultural sideline can apply for housing benefit as an encumbrance allowance for the owner-occupied living space.

Reasons for exclusion (no entitlement to housing benefit):

• Recipients of so-called transfer benefits (e.g. citizen's allowance in accordance with SGB II, basic income support in old age and in the event of reduced earning capacity, assistance with living expenses) are generally excluded from housing benefit if the costs of accommodation have been taken into account in the calculation of the transfer benefit.
• Single students and trainees can only receive housing benefit if they are not entitled to benefits to support their training (e.g. BAföG, training allowance).
• There is no entitlement to housing benefit if the claim would be abusive, in particular due to substantial assets.

Eligible costs

Rent and housing costs can only be taken into account up to a maximum amount determined by law. This depends on the number of household members to be taken into account and the rent level of the municipality. Further information can be obtained from the relevant housing benefit authority (see "Who is responsible for you").

Type and height

The amount of housing benefit you are entitled to in the form of a rent or housing allowance depends on

• the number of household members to be taken into account,
• the total income and
• the amount of the eligible rent or charge for the living space.

In order to receive housing benefit, the person entitled to housing benefit (see under "Entitled persons") must submit an application.

The housing benefit application contains questions about the essential information for determining the entitlement to housing benefit. The information in the application must be supported by the relevant evidence.

Housing benefit is generally granted from the first of the month in which the application is made.

• Application for housing benefit - housing allowance

  Please submit the completed form to the responsible authority. If the application is submitted informally, the housing benefit authority will need to make further inquiries, which will delay the procedure.

• Application for housing benefit - rent subsidy

  Please submit the completed form to the responsible authority. If the application is submitted informally, the housing benefit authority will need to make further inquiries, which will delay the procedure.

• Housing benefit supplement
• Data protection information on the housing benefit application

  Data protection information on the housing benefit application based on the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

• Explanatory notes on the application for housing benefit (housing allowance)
• Explanatory notes on the application for housing benefit (rent subsidy)
• Information sheet on the collection of personal data in accordance with Art. 12, 13 and 14 GDPR in the area of housing benefit
• Certificate of earnings for the application for housing benefit

• Housing Benefit Act (WoGG)
• § 26 Social Security Code I
• § 7 Social Security Code I

• Housing benefit

  Information from the Bavarian State Ministry of Housing, Building and Transport on housing benefit

• Apply for housing benefit online

  If the competent housing benefit authority already offers a corresponding online housing benefit application, a digital application is possible. To select the competent authority, enter the zip code or the location of the home for which housing benefit is to be applied for under "Select location". If available, the online procedure of the competent authority will then be displayed.

  The housing benefit authorities are currently offering various online procedures on a transitional basis. The online procedure "Application for housing benefit" allows you to apply for a rent subsidy and housing allowance as well as to submit additional documents for an application that has already been submitted.

  If the application is not available as an online procedure, the relevant application form (under "Forms") must be completed, signed and submitted to the competent authority together with the relevant supporting documents.

The application for housing benefit, together with the necessary supporting documents, must be submitted to the district office or independent city in whose area the housing for which housing benefit is being applied for is located.

If the responsible housing benefit authority already offers a corresponding online procedure, a digital application is also possible. Various online procedures are currently being offered by the housing benefit authorities on a transitional basis (see "Further links"). The online procedure "Application for housing benefit" allows you to apply for a rent subsidy and an encumbrance allowance as well as to submit additional documents for an application that has already been submitted. The online procedure "Housing benefit - application for rent subsidy" only allows you to apply for rent subsidy.

To select the competent authority, enter the zip code or the location of the home for which housing benefit is to be applied for under "Select location". If available, the online procedure of the competent authority will then be displayed. If the application is not available as an online procedure, the relevant application form (under "Forms") must be completed, signed and submitted to the competent authority together with the relevant supporting documents.

The responsible district office or independent city (housing benefit authority) decides on the application with a written decision. The housing benefit authority will also provide more detailed information and answer questions. As a rule, housing benefit is granted for twelve months from the month in which the application is submitted. After that, a new application is required.