Overview
- Under §26 WoGG, payments are made monthly in advance on the last bank working day of the prior month; for February 2026 the transfer date is Friday, January 30.
- Apprentices and students with a BAB or BAföG entitlement are generally excluded, with exceptions for school‑based trainees or cases where training begins during an approved period, while recipients of Bürgergeld or Sozialhilfe are not eligible.
- Income deductions include €1,800 per year for certain disabilities, €1,320 for single parents, up to €1,200 for working children under 25, and a §17a relief for long‑insured retirees that shields a portion of pension income.
- Wohngeld is usually payable from the month of application, but retroactive claims can apply after a denial or end of other benefits if filed within four weeks, or when rent rises by more than 10% triggering a recalculation under §27 WoGG.
- For Bürgergeld recipients, Jobcenters may only offset utility‑bill credits proportionally to the share they paid, reflecting a 2022 Berlin social court ruling and BSG guidance from 2020.