Wohngeld (housing benefit) - Applying for the rent subsidy (Mietzuschuss)

• Housing benefit calculator (Wohngeldrechner) www.berlin.de/sen/wohnen/service/wohngeldrechner/ Before applying, you can use the Wohngeldrechner to calculate, without obligation, whether you are entitled to Wohngeld (housing benefit). • Main residence in Berlin You live in Berlin and this is the centre of your life. • Rent payments You are a main tenant or subtenant of housing, or live under a similar rental arrangement (e.g. in a housing cooperative flat or a home), use the housing yourself, and pay rent for it. • You do not receive transfer payments that take housing costs into account. Such benefits can include, for example: • Bürgergeld (citizen's allowance)/Arbeitslosengeld II (unemployment benefit II)/Sozialgeld (social allowance), • Grundsicherung im Alter und bei Erwerbsminderung (basic income support in old age and in case of reduced earning capacity), • Hilfe zum Lebensunterhalt (assistance with subsistence) or • Kinder- und Jugendhilfe (child and youth welfare assistance). • You are not entitled to BAföG, BAB, or benefits under the MobiPro-EU funding programme Households consisting exclusively of household members who are in principle entitled to the following benefits are excluded from Wohngeld: • benefits to promote education under the Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz (Federal Training Assistance Act), • Berufsausbildungsbeihilfe (vocational training assistance) under Sections 56, 116 (3) or (4) or Section 122 of Book Three of the Social Code (SGB III), • or benefits to secure subsistence during a training-related internship or in-company vocational training while participating in the special programme for promoting the occupational mobility of young people from Europe interested in vocational training (MobiPro-EU) • "In principle" means that one's own income, or that of one's parents, is too high to receive one of these benefits. • Note: However, if one of these benefits is granted as a loan, this does not exclude entitlement to Wohngeld.

Application for Wohngeld (housing benefit) as a rent subsidy Possible online or you submit the (paper) application in writing by post For the online application: • Please have all required documents and evidence ready for upload in PDF or JPG format. The total size of your files may not exceed 30 MB. A single file may be a maximum of 5 MB. • Name the files as follows: Firstname_Lastname_Description.pdf (example: Maria_Mustermensch_Bedürfnisnachweis.pdf [proof of need]) • You can save the generated PDF application with all entered data, as well as the online application, on your own device. For the written application: • Download the application, fill it in completely and truthfully either electronically or by hand on a printed copy, and sign the application yourself. • Paper forms are also available at your district Bürgeramt (citizens' office). • Identity documents (in copy) of all persons living in your dwelling • Proof of your right of residence (in copy) If you belong to a state of the European Union (EU), a copy of your identity document is generally sufficient. If you belong to a non-European state (third country), you need proof of your Aufenthaltstitel (residence permit), e.g. a residence permit (Aufenthalts-Erlaubnis) or a temporary permission to stay pending a decision (Aufenthalts-Gestattung). • Your rental agreement (in copy) and supplementary agreements or letters of amendment from the landlord, if any exist • Proof of your rent payments for the last three months (in copy) for example through receipts or bank statements • Proof of transfer payments for all persons living in your dwelling (in copy) for example • Notice of unemployment benefit or Bürgergeld/Arbeitslosengeld II (basic income support for jobseekers) • Notice of Grundsicherung (basic income support) with calculation sheet for social assistance • Notice of advance maintenance payments from the Jugendamt (youth welfare office). • Proof of income for all household members (in copy) for example salary statements, earnings statements, or pension notices • Proof of income-related expenses, severe disability, and level of care, and Grundrente (basic pension) qualifying periods (in copy) • For the continuation application: application, income/earnings statement, notice of change • Application form with the applicable annexes, • Proof of income and/or earnings statement • Proof of rent payment and, if your rent has changed, the most recent rent change letter.

• Hinweisblatt zum Wohngeldantrag (information sheet on the Wohngeld [housing benefit] application) www.berlin.de/sen/stadt/_assets/service/formular-center/bere • (Paper) application for Wohngeld as a Mietzuschuss (rent subsidy) www.berlin.de/sen/stadt/_assets/service/formular-center/bere • Information sheet: Income under the Wohngeldgesetz (Housing Benefit Act) www.berlin.de/sen/stadt/_assets/service/formular-center/bere • Verdienstbescheinigung (certificate of earnings) form www.berlin.de/sen/stadt/_assets/service/formular-center/bere • Supplementary sheet for applying for Bildung und Teilhabe (Education and Participation, BuT) www.berlin.de/sen/stadt/_assets/service/formular-center/bere

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• Wohngeldgesetz (Housing Benefit Act, WoGG), Section 22 www.gesetze-im-internet.de/wogg/__22.html • Wohngeldverordnung (Housing Benefit Ordinance, WoGV) www.gesetze-im-internet.de/wogv/ • Wohngeldverwaltungsvorschrift (Housing Benefit Administrative Regulation, WoGVwV) www.verwaltungsvorschriften-im-internet.de/bsvwvbund_2806201

• Information on the 2023 Wohngeld (housing benefit) reform (Bundesministerium für Wohnen, Stadtentwicklung und Bauwesen [Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building]) www.bmwsb.bund.de/SharedDocs/topthemen/Webs/BMWSB/DE/wohngel • Notes on Wohngeld (housing benefit) (Bundesministerium für Wohnen, Stadtentwicklung und Bauwesen [Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building]) www.bmwsb.bund.de/DE/wohnen/wohngeld/wohngeld_node.html • Mieten-Service (rent service) (Senatsverwaltung für Stadtentwicklung, Bauen und Wohnen [Senate Department for Urban Development, Building and Housing]) www.berlin.de/sen/wohnen/ • Portal Mieterschutz (tenant protection portal) (Senatsverwaltung für Stadtentwicklung, Bauen und Wohnen [Senate Department for Urban Development, Building and Housing]) www.berlin.de/sen/stadt/service/mieterschutz/ • Wohngeld - apply for Lastenzuschuss (subsidy toward housing costs for homeowners) (service) service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/120665/

Bürgeramt (citizens' office) or Wohnungsamt (housing office) in your district of residence • For written applications: Send the fully completed and signed application and all supporting documents (in copy) by post to your district Wohnungsamt or your Bürgeramt, or submit the application in person.