黑料老司机

Prerequisites

• You are at least 15 years old and have not yet reached the statutory pension insurance age limit.
• You are employable. This means you can work at least three hours a day.
• You are in need of assistance. This means that you cannot support yourself and do not receive any money from other sources (e.g., housing benefit) or individuals (e.g., maintenance), or your income is insufficient.
• You live in the Federal Republic of Germany.

If you come from a third country, you must also have a valid residence permit. If you come from an EU country, you must work or have worked in Germany.

If you are under 25 years old and unmarried and want to move out of your parents' or one parent's home, you need a relocation guarantee from the Jobcenter so that the costs can be covered.

Documents required

• If you do not use the online service: Application forms
• valid identification document:
  • identity card or
  • valid passport with current registration certificate or
  • Residence permit
• Proof of income such as salary, wages, pensions, unemployment benefits, sickness benefits, child benefit, child supplement, maintenance, maintenance advance
• Proof of existing assets such as savings, shares, securities, building society contracts, crypto
• Proof of expenses such as rent, operating costs, heating costs, water, insurance
• If applicable: proof of previous benefit receipt (approval notice, proof of benefits)

If you are applying after having been employed:

• Employment documents (including letters of resignation or declaration of termination of employment)
• Employment certificate (to be completed by the employer) or salary slips

Please note

Since 1 January 2023, the former unemployment benefit II (鈥淗artz IV鈥�) or social benefit has been replaced by citizen鈥檚 allowance.

In emergencies where your livelihood is at risk, you can get a loan upon separate application.

Deadlines

There is no deadline. Benefits will only be granted starting in the month in which you submitted your application.

Procedure

You can apply for citizen鈥檚 allowance online or in writing.

Apply for citizen鈥檚 allowance online:

• You access the online service on the Internet.
• You follow the instructions and fill out the application online.
• If you already have evidence for your application, you can upload it directly or submit it later.
• The responsible authority will decide on your application.
• The decision on your application will be communicated to you in writing by mail or online.

Apply for citizen鈥檚 allowance in writing:

• You contact the relevant job center. You can find out which job center is responsible for you by using the location search (see "Links").
• The responsible job center will discuss your request with you and provide you with all the application forms and documents you need to fill out. You can also find the application forms online (see "Links").
• You fill out the application forms. You can get help from the responsible office or use the instructions for completing the form.
• You submit your complete application documents.
• The responsible authority will decide on your application.
• The decision on your application will be communicated to you in writing by post.

Processing time

If you are applying for Citizen's Allowance for the first time and submit all necessary documents and information with your application, processing will take approximately 14 days.

Fees

Processing the application is free of charge.

Legal remedies

• contradiction


• summary proceedings before the social court


• Complaint before the social court

Legal basis

Second Book of the Social Code (SGB II)