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If you do not have enough money to finance your living expenses yourself, you can apply for citizen's allowance.

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Detailed description

Citizen's Allowance (basic income for job seekers) is a benefit for employable people who cannot cover their living expenses themselves. Children in need also receive Citizen's Allowance.

Citizen's income ensures a minimum standard of living and enables you to participate in cultural and social life. At the same time, you receive support in your search for employment or training opportunities.

Anyone receiving citizen’s allowance must contribute to ensuring that they can stand on their own two feet again as quickly as possible.

Citizen's Allowance is paid only upon application. If you have previously received unemployment benefit II or social security benefits, you will receive Citizen's Allowance starting January 1, 2023.

The citizen's allowance is transferred to your account in advance every month.

If you receive citizen's allowance, you receive a lump sum to cover your living expenses (standard needs). This covers needs such as food, clothing, and personal hygiene and is adjusted annually. The following amounts apply to the standard needs levels (RBS) for 2024:
- Single people, single parents, adults with underage partners: EUR 563.00 (RBS 1)
- Adult partners: 506.00 EUR (RBS 2)
- Other adults aged 18-24 and persons under 25 years of age who move out of their parents' home without the consent of the municipal authority (18-24 years): EUR 451.00 (RBS 3)
- Children aged 14 - 17: 471.00 EUR (RBS 4)
- Children aged 6 - 13: 390.00 EUR (RBS 5)
- Children from 0 - 5 years: 357.00 EUR (RBS 6)
- Children, adolescents and young adults receive an additional monthly immediate supplement of EUR 20.00 (RBS 3-6).

If you need more money due to special circumstances, you may be eligible for additional benefits. This applies, for example, to expectant mothers from the 13th week of pregnancy, single parents, people with disabilities receiving benefits to participate in work, or people who require expensive nutrition for medical reasons.

If you receive Citizen's Allowance, the costs of your housing and heating will be covered. In the first year of receiving benefits, the actual costs of your apartment (net rent) will be covered. From the second year of receiving benefits, the costs will only be covered if they are reasonable. Heating costs will also only be covered to a reasonable extent in the first year. What constitutes reasonable costs depends on where you live.

If you are under 25, unmarried, and want to move out of your parents' or one of your parents' homes, you can only receive citizen's allowance if you have a guarantee from the Jobcenter. You must apply for this guarantee. In emergencies where your livelihood is at risk, you can obtain a loan upon separate application.

The standard benefit already includes a savings amount. This means you must pay for new purchases and replacements from the money saved from the standard benefit. You can also receive one-time support in certain situations. Examples include the initial furnishing of your home or during pregnancy and childbirth.

You can receive contributions to your health and long-term care insurance.

You will receive benefits for your children for "Education and Participation in Social and Cultural Life" (BuT). These are automatically applied for with the main application, for example for
School trips, lunch, school supplies or tutoring.

When calculating your citizen's allowance, your income and assets and those of all people you live with are taken into account.

Citizen's allowance can be reduced due to breaches of duty or failure to report. If you fail to comply with agreements to cooperate, these obligations can be legally binding for you. Benefits will not be reduced if there is a compelling reason or if doing so would result in exceptional hardship. You have the opportunity to present the circumstances of your case.

 

Information

Prerequisites

You can receive citizen's allowance if you meet all of the following requirements:

  • You are employable. This means you can work at least three hours a day and are at least 15 years old. Furthermore, you have not yet reached the statutory retirement age.
  • If you were born after 1963, the age limit is 67.
  • If you were born before 1964, you can find your age limit in the table in Section 7a of the Second Book of the Social Code.
  • You are in need of assistance. This means you cannot provide for your own basic living expenses and those of your non-working dependents who live with you in a household with benefits. Your own resources (income and assets), your ability to work, or priority benefits – such as unemployment benefits, housing benefits, or child benefit – are insufficient.
  • You have no priority claims over other benefit providers or persons. This includes, for example, claims for housing benefit or maintenance claims against former spouses or the father or mother of your child.
  • You live in the Federal Republic of Germany.

Documents required

  • Completed application forms
  • A valid identification document (an identity card, a valid passport with a current registration certificate or a valid residence permit)
  • Proof of your income (for example, pay slips or current bank statements for pensions, sick pay, child benefit, maintenance or maintenance advance payments).
  • Proof of your assets, for example savings, shares, securities, building society contracts)
  • Proof of your expenses (e.g. rental agreement or receipts, heating bills, bank statements, documents about your insurance contributions)
  • Evidence of previous benefit receipt (approval notice, proof of benefits)
  • If you submit the application after the end of an employment relationship, in addition:
  • Your employment documents (a notice of termination or a written statement of termination of employment)
  • a certificate of employment (completed by your former employer)

Please note

The Citizens' Allowance Act will comprehensively reform basic security for job seekers in 2023 and bring it up to date.

Deadlines

There is no deadline. However, benefits will only be granted from the month in which you submitted your application.


If you are currently receiving unemployment benefits, it is advisable to submit your application early before these benefits expire so that you do not get into financial difficulties.

Procedure

To receive citizen's allowance, you must apply. You can submit your application in writing or online.
 
How to submit the application in writing:

  • Please contact the relevant authority.
  • The responsible office will discuss your request with you and provide you with all the necessary application documents.
  • Upon request, you can receive the documents by mail or email. You can also find the application forms online.
  • Fill out the forms. You can get support from the responsible office or use the instructions in German.
  • Submit the complete documents to the responsible job center.
  • The responsible authority will examine your application and inform you of the decision in writing by post.

How to apply online:

  • Access the online application for citizen’s allowance on the Internet.
  • Follow the instructions and complete the application completely.
  • If you already have proof, you can upload it directly. If not, you can submit it later—either voluntarily or if requested by the responsible authority.
  • The responsible authority will decide on your application and inform you of the result in writing by post or online.

Processing time

For initial applications in the benefit area, an average processing time of a maximum of 14 working days is aimed for. For this, the documents must be complete.

Fees

There are no costs involved in having an account.




If you don't have an account, you will receive a payment order for a cash payment (ZzV-Bar). This is a check. However, this will incur costs that will be deducted directly from your benefit. Since the costs for the payment order can vary, please contact your local branch for more information. You can have the check paid out in cash. Payments are only accepted through Postbank branches.

Legal remedies


  • contradiction

  • summary proceedings before the social court

  • Complaint before the social court

Legal basis

Second Book of the Social Code (SGB II)

Links on the Internet

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Keywords: Employment agency Job centre ALG 2 Unemployment II Hartz IV citizen money

Last updated: 29.04.2025