Overview
- Wohngeld is an income‑tested housing subsidy whose amount depends on household size, total earnings and housing burden, with owner‑occupiers receiving a Lastenzuschuss that can cover loan costs, a €36 per m² annual maintenance flat rate, property tax, administration, insurance and certain heating costs.
- Key inflows not treated as income include Kindergeld, Kinderzuschlag, Bildungs‑ und Teilhabeleistungen and Pflegegeld, while Elterngeld is only counted above the €300 monthly base (€150 for Elterngeld Plus), and one‑off payments are considered only for the relevant assessment period.
- Applicants with significant assets are excluded, with no entitlement if the first household member holds €60,000 and each additional member €30,000, and there is also no Wohngeld when benefits covering housing costs are already received, such as Bürgergeld, Grundsicherung or BAföG.
- Statutory allowances reduce assessable income for specific groups, including €1,320 per year for single parents, deductions up to €6,000 for support to a former spouse and €3,000 for children or others outside the household, and for retirees with at least 33 Grundrentenzeiten an exemption of at least €1,200 rising up to €3,378.
- Consumer advocates advise applying via official portals after reports of deceptive third‑party sites, and coverage contrasts Germany’s approach with Italy’s move to end broad cash support for able‑bodied recipients, which cut overall recipients by about 40% and left targeted aid for vulnerable groups.