Overview

• Officials reiterate that the subsidy rose by about 15% on January 1, 2025, and will next be reviewed in 2027 rather than 2026.
• Roughly 1.2 million households currently receive support, with about 44% families and 52% households including pensioners.
• Entitlement is determined case by case based on household size, total income, and eligible rent or owner‑occupier housing costs.
• Awards are typically granted for 12 months and paid monthly in advance, with applications handled by local Wohngeldstellen and many states offering online filing.
• There is no single national maximum; amounts vary by municipal rent stages and individual circumstances, and recipients of benefits that already cover housing costs are generally excluded, with authorities urging use of the official calculator and warning about fraudulent application sites.