Germany Clarifies 2026 Housing Benefit Rules: Asset Limits Unchanged, Child Supplement Paid Separately

Overview

• Federal housing officials say the long‑used asset benchmarks remain in place for 2026 at roughly €60,000 for the first household member and €30,000 for each additional member, applied as guidance in individual assessments.
• Wohngeld and the Kinderzuschlag can be received at the same time but must be applied for with different offices and are paid out separately, with Wohngeld usually in advance and the child supplement alongside child benefit by payment schedule.
• Eligibility and award amounts are determined per case based on the number of counted household members, total income and the eligible rent or owner costs, with a minimum income requirement derived from basic needs plus rent.
• Several payments are not treated as income for Wohngeld, including child benefit, the child supplement, education participation benefits, care allowances and small approved allowances for voluntary work within set limits.
• Work‑related expense allowances reduce countable income for Wohngeld purposes (standard employee and pensioner pauschbeträge apply, higher verified costs can be used), while special rules clarify WG households are usually treated as single‑person cases and students with BAföG entitlement are typically excluded.