Applying for housing benefit
Description
You can receive housing benefit as a tenant (so-called rent subsidy) or as an owner of owner-occupied housing (so-called burden subsidy).
Whether and to what extent you receive housing benefit depends on how high your income is and how high your rent or monthly burden is for home ownership. It also plays a role how many people live in your household.
Have your financial situation or your living circumstances changed in the
If the approval period worsens, you can apply for an increase in the housing benefit at any time.
You must notify the housing benefit authority immediately of any changes.
This also applies to changes that may lead to a reduction in housing benefit.
The amount of housing benefit may vary from region to region. The rent or charge is only eligible up to a certain maximum amount. The maximum amounts depend on the local rent level, the so-called rent levels.
Whether and to what extent you can claim housing benefit depends on various factors:
- Amount of your income
- Amount of your rent or charge
- Number of household members and their income
Total income
The total income is the sum of the annual incomes of all persons living in the household. Certain amounts and deductions for maintenance payments may be deducted from this.
Rent amount/monthly charge for property
The rent agreed in the rental agreement is taken into account.
The burden on owners is the expenses for debt service and the management of property.
When checking your claim, the gross cold rent will be taken into account. Not included in the rent are, for example,
- Heating costs and
- Cost of hot water
- Remuneration for the provision of a garage or parking space for motor vehicles
- Remuneration for general support services such as the
- mediation of care or care services,
- Domestic care services
- Emergency services
Income of household members
Household members are people who live with you in an apartment. This apartment must be the center of life for each of these people. All household members are taken into account if they are not excluded from housing benefit.
You are excluded from housing benefit if you receive transfer benefits (other social benefits) that already include housing costs.
For example, citizens' allowance or basic security in old age and in the event of reduced earning capacity
- Identity card, passport or residence certificate with confirmation of registration
- Lease agreement or the documentation on the cost of the residential property you use, if you are the owner
- current rental receipt (bank statement or proof of payment)
- last change of rent
- Cold water billing
- Proof of income (salary statement, pension notice)
- Decisions on social benefits (e.g. unemployment benefit, short-time working allowance)
Approval is usually granted for 12 months. You should apply for continued housing benefit 2 months before the end of the approval period.
The housing allowance or an increase takes place from the time of application.
You can submit applications for housing benefit to the housing benefit authorities.
Written form required: Yes
Personal appearance required: No
As a person entitled to housing benefit, you yourself must submit the application.
After checking your income and costs, you will be granted the housing benefit if you are entitled to it.
The approval and the amount of the payment will be communicated to you in writing.
Changes can, but do not have to, lead to an increase in housing benefit.
If your financial situation or living conditions have improved or changed again, there may also be a reduction in the housing benefit.
To ensure that you do not receive housing benefit unjustly, the housing benefit authority may regularly check the household members.
The amount of housing benefit may vary from region to region. The rent or charge is only eligible up to certain maximum amounts. The maximum amounts depend on the local rent level. There are 6 rent levels. At rent level 3, the rents of a municipality correspond approximately to the national average.
Ministry of Infrastructure and Digital Affairs Saxony-Anhalt
The text was automatically translated based on the German content.
