Wohngeld: housing benefit for tenants and owners in Germany

Who can claim

Section 3 of the Wohngeldgesetz (WoGG, Housing Benefit Act) defines the person entitled. For the rent subsidy it is anyone who has rented a home and lives in it, including someone living in their own house that has more than two flats. For the burden subsidy it is the owner of a home they live in themselves. Holders of a ground lease (Erbbaurecht), a right of residence (Wohnungsrecht) or a usufruct are treated like owners.

Where several members of a household would qualify, only one of them is the claimant, and the household chooses who. The benefit goes to that person’s account, in advance each month, under section 26.

Foreign nationals

Foreigners are covered, but section 3(5) sets conditions: they must actually be in Germany and hold a right of residence. The listed routes include a right under the EU freedom of movement law (FreizügG/EU), a residence permit or toleration under the Residence Act, or a right under an international agreement. The same provision says that holders of certain permits are, as a rule, not entitled: a permit to look for a training place, to look for work after studies, an opportunity card (Chancenkarte), a study-related internship, or the European voluntary service. If your status is not obviously one of the listed ones, ask the benefit office before relying on this guide.

Who is excluded

You cannot claim Wohngeld if you receive a benefit that already counts housing costs. Section 7 lists them: the basic income benefit under the Second Book of the Social Code (Grundsicherungsgeld), basic security in old age and for reduced earning capacity, social assistance, and benefits under the Asylum Seekers’ Benefits Act, among others. Section 20 also excludes households in which every member is entitled in principle to student or training grants such as BAföG. Section 21 adds that no claim exists if the claim would be abusive, “in particular because of substantial assets”. The law does not state a figure for that threshold.

How the amount is calculated

Section 19 sets a formula: 1.15 × (M − (a + b × M + c × Y) × Y) euros per month, where M is the rent or burden that counts, Y is the monthly total income, and a, b and c are values by household size from Annex 2. You do not need to run it yourself, because the office does, but the structure shows what moves the result.

Three inputs matter:

1. Household members. The number counted, not only the claimant.
2. Rent or burden. Only up to a ceiling. The ceilings in Annex 1 depend on household size and on the rent level (Mietenstufe, I to VII) of your municipality, which the Federal Statistical Office determines under section 12.
3. Income. Section 16 deducts 10% from the annual income for each of income tax, compulsory health and care insurance contributions, and pension contributions that you are expected to pay.

Section 12 also adds two flat amounts for every claimant. The heating cost component is €110.40 a month for one person (€142.60 for two, €170.20 for three). The climate component raises the ceiling by €19.20 a month for one person (€24.80 for two, €29.60 for three).

A worked calculation

This is a calculation from the law, not a quote. For a one-person household in rent level III, Annex 1 gives a ceiling of €456. Under section 11(1), the rent that counts is limited to €456 plus the climate component of €19.20, so €475.20, and the heating relief of €110.40 is added. The maximum rent figure fed into the formula is therefore €585.60. A rent above the ceiling does not increase the benefit.

When it starts and how long it runs

Wohngeld is paid only on application (section 22). The approval period begins on the first day of the month in which you apply (section 25(2)), so apply as soon as you meet the conditions. It should be approved for 12 months and can be extended up to 24 months where circumstances are expected to stay the same. You can reapply early: an application filed more than two months before the period ends is treated as made on the first of the second month before it ends.

The 2027 adjustment

Section 43 provides that the ceilings and the formula values are updated on 1 January of every second year, and the first update under that rule was on 1 January 2025. The second adjustment ordinance is published in the Federal Law Gazette 2024 I no. 314. By that schedule the next update falls on 1 January 2027. No ordinance for 2027 was read for this guide, so check the current annex before you calculate.

Which professional to consult

Applications go to the municipal or district benefit office (Wohngeldbehörde, section 24), and the office advises on its own forms. For tenants, a tenants’ association can help with the paperwork. An owner whose burden is complex can ask a mortgage broker to document the loan payments. For the cost of an owned home see the purchase costs calculator.