Housing Assistance in Easy-to-Read Language

Housing is expensive.

Rent, electricity, water, and heating cost a lot of money.

This is difficult for people with low incomes.

The government provides housing assistance for these people.

• Who is eligible for housing assistance?
• How much housing assistance can you receive?
• What is the housing assistance calculator?
• What do you need to apply?
• How do you apply for housing assistance?
• Who can apply?
• How long will you receive housing assistance?
• What do you need to do if something changes?
• Where can you get help and advice?

You can receive this money, for example:

• If you rent an apartment or a house.
• If you have a low income.
• And if you don’t receive any other social benefits. 

You will notreceive housing assistance
if you are already receiving other funds to cover your rent.

Here are some examples:

• If you receive basic income support.
• If you receive basic income support.
• If you receive BAföG.
• Or if you receive money from the government
  for vocational training.

Not all families receive the same amount of housing assistance.

If you pay a low rent,
you’ll receive less housing assistance.

If you pay a high rent,
you’ll receive more housing assistance. 

The housing assistance office must first calculate:
How much housing assistance you will receive.

To do this, you’ll need to provide the following information:

• How many people live in your apartment?
• How much rent do you have to pay?
• How much money do you and your housemates earn combined?

Important:

People with disabilities receive an additional allowance as part of their housing assistance.

This means: You receive more housing assistance.

You are eligible for the additional allowance:  

• If you have a disability rating of 100.
• Or if you have a disability rating of 50 or higher.
• And if you require long-term care.

The Housing Allowance Calculator is an online program.

The program is free.

The calculator shows you:

• Whether you are eligible for housing allowance.
• And approximately: how much housing allowance you might receive. 

But the result is only an estimate.

Whether you actually receive housing assistance
is decided by the agency.

You can find the housing assistance calculator here: 

www.wohngeldrechner.nrw.de

Or search online for

“housing allowance calculator + name of your city”

To receive housing assistance, you must fill out an application.

The application form is available at housing assistance offices or online.

The application is written in complex language.

You can get help filling it out at the housing assistance offices.

You’ll need several documents to apply.

For example: 

• Your lease agreement
• Your pay stub
• Or your notice from the Job Center
• Your ID

The office will tell you exactly which documents you need.

You usually receive housing assistance for 12 months.

After that, you can submit a new application.

You must report these changes to the housing benefits office:

• If someone moves out of the apartment.
• Or if more people are living in the apartment.

For example, if you have a baby. 

• Or if your income increases.
• Or if your income decreases.
• Or if your rent goes up.
• Or if your rent goes down.
• Or if you move. 

Then the housing benefit office will check:

Does the housing benefit need to be recalculated?

Do you have questions about housing assistance?

The housing assistance office can help with your questions.  

Not sure which housing assistance office is responsible for your area?

Then search online for:

“Housing assistance + name of your city.”  

Or call the government hotline.

The phone number is 115.

You can get information there.

The Federal Ministry of Construction has produced an explanatory video about housing assistance.

You can watch the explanatory video on YouTube.

Click here to go to the YouTube website.