Overview
- Officials confirmed on Friday that capital income such as interest or dividends up to €100 per person per year is exempt and does not reduce Wohngeld.
- Local authorities said earnings from minijobs and other minor side jobs are counted in full as income when calculating Wohngeld and receive no small-income exemption.
- Recipients must notify their Wohngeldstelle if total household income rises by more than 15 percent and benefits are recalculated when household composition changes, with reductions usually applied from the first of the following month if the change does not fall on the first.
- Wohngeld offices can audit claims and seek repayment for wrongly paid benefits, may request bank information under §23 WoGG when suspicion arises, and will consider 'schutzwürdiges Vertrauen' before enforcing recoveries.
- Model calculations show many pensioners with roughly €1,000 monthly pension could receive additional Wohngeld of about €200–€400 depending on rent, household size and local rent stage, so eligible people should consult their municipal Wohngeldstelle or use the federal Wohngeld‑Plus calculator.