This year, many Ukrainians living in Germany can benefit from the Wohngeld housing subsidy. This is an important financial support for those who have a low income and cannot fully cover their housing costs. Find out more about who is eligible and how to get it

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The Wohngeld housing subsidy is one of the main forms of support for low-income people in Germany, allowing them to partially cover the costs of renting or maintaining their own housing. However, this subsidy is not available to those who already receive other social benefits that cover housing costs.

We will tell you who can count on Wohngeld in 2024 and how to apply.

What is Wohngeld?

Wohngeld is a form of financial assistance for housing costs. Both tenants and homeowners, or even those living in retirement homes, can receive the subsidy.
The main condition is that the family's income must be insufficient to cover housing costs on its own.

Important changes to Wohngeld in 2024

In 2024, the amount of housing benefit was increased. Now the average household in Germany can receive about 370 euros per month.

The rules have also been changed to allow the benefit to be calculated over a longer period and to take into account one-time income. This allows more people to benefit from the housing subsidy.

What affects the amount of the benefit?

The amount of housing assistance depends on:

• The number of household members.

• The total income of all household members.

• The amount of rent or expenses for the maintenance of your own housing.

These indicators are taken into account when calculating the subsidy, which will help to partially or fully cover housing costs.

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How to apply for Wohngeld?

To apply for a housing subsidy, you need to contact the local housing assistance department (housing office) in your city or district administration. There you can get an application form and advice on how to fill it out.

Documents you may need:

• A completed Wohngeld application form.

• Proof of housing costs (lease agreement, bank statements for the last months).

• Proof of income (from your employer, pension document, unemployment status, etc.)

In some federal states, you can also apply online through local administrative portals.

Applying for the subsidy: step-by-step instructions

The Wohngeld is granted only on the basis of an application that must be submitted to the relevant office.

1. Where to apply?
An application for a housing subsidy can be submitted by the head of a low-income household. To do this, you need to contact:

- The local housing subsidy office (Wohnungsamt) in the municipality, city, district or county administration. There you can get an application form and advice on all issues related to obtaining a subsidy.

It is important to note that many federal states already provide the option of submitting an online application. To find the relevant information and application forms online, visit verwaltung.bund.de and search for Wohngeld. You will be able to find the office in your federal state.

2. Documents required to apply
To receive a housing subsidy, you must provide the following documents:

• A completed application form.

• A document confirming your housing costs: for example, a rent certificate (Mietbescheinigung) or bank statements showing the last 3 months of rent payments.

• Proof of income: this can be a payslip from your employer (die Abrechnung), a pension notice, a disability certificate (Schwerbehindertenausweis) or unemployment status.

3. Processing of the application and payments
After submitting the application, the relevant office must issue a written decision. The review process can take from 3 to 8 weeks, depending on the municipality. Housing subsidy payments start in the new month.

When is assistance not provided?

Wohngeld is not granted to people who receive other social benefits that cover housing costs. These benefits include:

• Public funds (Bürgergeld).

• Social assistance.

• Basic security (SGB XII).

• Accommodation allowance in accordance with SGB XII.

• Services in special cases.

• Basic services according to the Asylum Seekers Act.

• Transitional assistance (SGB VI).

• Benefits for temporary disability (SGB VII).

• Assistance to conscripts.

Also, recipients of study allowance (Bafög) or other similar benefits cannot apply for a housing subsidy if these benefits already include housing costs.

Who can receive Wohngeld?

Despite these restrictions, the following categories of people are eligible for housing assistance:

• Pensioners who receive a low pension.

• Students, if their family is not eligible for an education loan (Bafög).

• Working single parents.

• Couples with low incomes.

• Employees in low-paid sectors.

• Residents of nursing homes or residential care facilities for people with disabilities.

You can check your eligibility for the subsidy using special online tools or by contacting the housing office in your city.

How to calculate Wohngeld in 2024?

The basis for calculating the housing subsidy is the gross rent, which includes water, sewerage and garbage disposal costs, but does not include electricity costs. After the 2024 reform, the calculation also includes heating costs, which are taken into account through a flat rate.

The subsidy depends on:

- The number of household members.
- The amount of rent or housing maintenance costs.
- Total household income.

A special formula is used to calculate the subsidy, but the exact amount of assistance can be found using online calculators or by contacting the relevant authority.

Housing assistance is usually provided for 12 months. If you still need support after a year, you need to submit a new application. It is recommended to do this two months before the end of the current payment period.

Usually, the funds are paid to the tenant in advance, which allows you to pay for housing in a timely manner.

We remind you! Ukrainian refugees in Germany will be able to retain the right to late resettlement status, which provides stable legal grounds for long-term stay in Germany. Read how to obtain this status and what opportunities it opens up for integration and building a life in Germany in our previous article.

Want to know more? Read the latest news and useful materials about Ukraine and the world in the News section.

Ihor Usyk is the Head of Legal Department at Visit Ukraine

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