Detailed description
Citizens' allowance (basic income for job seekers) is a benefit for people of working age who cannot cover their own living expenses. Children in need of assistance also receive citizens' allowance.
Citizens' income ensures a minimum subsistence level and enables you to participate in cultural and social life. At the same time, you receive support in your search for work or qualification opportunities.
Anyone who receives citizen’s allowance must work to ensure that he or she can stand on his or her own two feet again as quickly as possible.
Citizens' allowance is only paid upon application. If you have previously received unemployment benefit II or social benefit, you will receive citizens' allowance from January 1, 2023.
The citizen’s allowance is transferred to your account every month in advance.
If you receive citizen's allowance, you will receive a lump sum to cover your living expenses (standard needs). It covers needs such as food, clothing and personal hygiene and is adjusted annually. The following amounts apply to the standard needs levels (RBS) for 2024:
- Single people, single parents, adults with underage partners: EUR 563.00 (RBS 1)
- Adult partners: 506.00 EUR (RBS 2)
- Other adults aged 18 - 24 and persons under 25 who move out of their parents' home without the consent of the local authority (18 - 24 years): EUR 451.00 (RBS 3)
- Children aged 14 - 17: 471.00 EUR (RBS 4)
- Children aged 6 - 13 years: 390.00 EUR (RBS 5)
- Children from 0 - 5 years: 357,00 EUR (RBS 6)
- Children, adolescents and young adults also receive a monthly immediate supplement of EUR 20.00 (RBS 3-6).
If you need more money due to special circumstances, you can receive additional benefits. This applies, for example, to expectant mothers from the 13th week of pregnancy, single parents, people with disabilities who receive benefits to participate in working life or people who require expensive nutrition for medical reasons.
If you receive citizen's allowance, the costs of your accommodation and heating will be covered. In the first year of receiving benefits, the actual costs of your apartment will be covered (net rent). From the second year of receiving benefits, the costs will only be covered if they are reasonable. Heating costs will also only be covered to a reasonable extent in the first year. What costs are reasonable depends on where you live.
If you are under 25 years old and unmarried and want to move out of your parents' home or one of your parents' homes, you can only receive citizen's allowance if you have a guarantee from the job center. You must apply for the guarantee. In emergencies where your livelihood is at risk, you can get a loan by submitting a separate application.
The standard allowance already includes an amount for savings. This means that you have to pay for new purchases and replacements from the money saved from the standard allowance. You can also receive one-off support in certain situations. Examples of this include the initial furnishing of the apartment or during pregnancy and childbirth.
You can receive the contributions to your health and nursing care insurance.
You will receive benefits for your children for "Education and Participation in Social and Cultural Life" (BuT). These are automatically applied for with the main application, for example for
School trips, lunch, school supplies or tutoring.
When calculating your citizen’s allowance, your income and assets and those of all people you live with are taken into account.
The citizen's allowance can be reduced due to breaches of duty or failure to report. If you do not comply with agreements to cooperate, these obligations can be legally binding for you. There will be no reduction in benefits if there is an important reason or if this would lead to exceptional hardship. You have the opportunity to present the circumstances of your case.