Overview

• No across-the-board raise takes effect in January 2026 because the benefit is recalculated on a two‑year cycle, with the next routine update due in January 2027.
• The subsidy rose on January 1, 2025 by roughly 15 percent, an average gain of about €30 per month.
• Tenants and owner‑occupiers can qualify, and there is no single national maximum since entitlements depend on household composition, total income, and eligible rent or owner costs.
• Roughly 1.2 million households currently receive the benefit, with large shares including families and pensioners, a group authorities say often underclaims.
• Applications go through local Wohngeld offices with income and housing‑cost documentation, payments are issued monthly in advance on fixed dates, and officials urge use of the BMWSB calculator while warning against fraudulent application sites.