Overview
- The federal housing ministry reiterated on June 17, 2026, that the asset benchmarks used by local Wohngeldstellen remain €60,000 for the first household member and €30,000 for each additional member with no planned change for 2026.
- Wohngeld is calculated case by case using household size, total taxable income and a municipal Mietenstufe that sets the rent ceiling, with the 2023 heating-cost surcharge and climate component added to the rent basis.
- Several payments are excluded or only partly counted when assessing income for Wohngeld, notably child benefit, Kinderzuschlag, educational and participation benefits, Pflegegeld and small volunteer/Übungsleiter allowances within annual limits.
- Applicants generally receive payments from the month of application for one year, local offices may demand detailed lease or bank evidence, and short-term tenants in legally valid Zwischenmieten can qualify if they supply a proper contract.
- About 1.2 million households receive Wohngeld today and many eligible people do not apply; because authorities assess assets case by case, tied retirement savings can be treated as non‑realisable and raise the effective exemption in individual decisions.