Applying for Housing Benefit (Wohngeld) - Cost Subsidy (Lastenzuschuss)

• Wohngeldrechner (housing benefit calculator) www.berlin.de/sen/wohnen/service/wohngeldrechner/ Before submitting an application, you can use the Wohngeldrechner (housing benefit calculator) to check, 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. • Belastungszahlung (housing cost burden payment) You own a house or a condominium (Eigentumswohnung), occupy the property yourself, and bear the costs of debt service (Kapitaldienst) and management (Bewirtschaftung) — together referred to as the "Belastung" (housing cost burden). • You do not receive any transfer benefits (Transferleistungen) that take the costs of accommodation 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 the event of reduced earning capacity), • Hilfe zum Lebensunterhalt (assistance with the cost of living), or • Kinder- und Jugendhilfe (child and youth welfare services). • You are not entitled to BAföG (federal student financial aid), BAB (vocational training assistance), or benefits under the MobiPro-EU funding programme Households consisting exclusively of members who are entitled in principle to the following benefits are excluded from Wohngeld: • Benefits for the promotion of 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 Sozialgesetzbuch (Social Code, SGB III), • or benefits to secure their living costs 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" (dem Grunde nach) means that the person's own income, or that of their parents, is too high for them to actually receive one of these benefits. • Note: However, if one of these benefits is granted as a loan, there is no exclusion from Wohngeld.

Application for Wohngeld (housing benefit) as a Lastenzuschuss (subsidy for housing costs for homeowners) Possible online or you can 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 must not exceed 30 MB. A single file may be no larger than 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 form, fill it out completely and truthfully either electronically or by hand if printed, and sign the application yourself. • Paper forms are also available at your district's Bürgeramt (citizens' office). • Identity documents (copies) from all persons living in your household • Proof of right of residence (copy) If you are a citizen of a European Union (EU) member state, a copy of your identity document is generally sufficient. If you are a citizen of a non-European (third) country, you need proof of your Aufenthaltstitel (residence permit), e.g. a residence permit (Aufenthalts-Erlaubnis) or a permission to reside pending a decision (Aufenthalts-Gestattung). • Proof of ownership (copy) for example, purchase contract, land register extract • Current statement of operating/utility costs (Betriebskostenabrechnung), if available (copy) • Proof of your Wohngeld payments for the last three months (copy) for example, receipts or bank statements • Proof of your housing cost payments (copy) for example, loan agreements, third-party funding certificates, property tax assessment notice • Proof of transfer payments for all persons living in your household (copy) for example • Notice of unemployment benefit (Arbeitslosengeld) or Bürgergeld/Arbeitslosengeld II (basic income support for jobseekers) • Notice of basic income support (Grundsicherung) with calculation sheet for social assistance • Notice of advance maintenance payments (Unterhaltsvorauszahlungen) from the Jugendamt (youth welfare office) • Proof of income for all household members (copy) for example, salary statements, earnings certificates, or pension notices • Proof of income-related expenses, severe disability and level of care, Grundrente (basic pension) qualifying periods (copy) • For the continuation application (Weiterleistungsantrag): application, income/earnings certificate, notification of change You do not need to resubmit the complete set of documents; it is sufficient to provide: • Application form with the necessary attachments, • Proof of income and/or earnings certificate, • Notifications of change regarding costs from debt service or management/operating costs.

• Information sheet (Hinweisblatt) on the Wohngeld (housing benefit) application www.berlin.de/sen/stadt/_assets/service/formular-center/bere • (Paper) application for Wohngeld (housing benefit) as Lastenzuschuss (subsidy toward housing costs for homeowners) www.berlin.de/sen/stadt/_assets/service/formular-center/bere • Merkblatt (information sheet): Income under the Wohngeldgesetz (Housing Benefit Act) www.berlin.de/sen/stadt/_assets/service/formular-center/bere • Form: Verdienstbescheinigung (certificate of earnings) 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 (WoGG, Housing Benefit Act) § 22 www.gesetze-im-internet.de/wogg/ • Wohngeldverordnung (WoGV, Housing Benefit Ordinance) www.gesetze-im-internet.de/wogv/ • Wohngeldverwaltungsvorschrift (WoGVwV, Housing Benefit Administrative Regulation) www.verwaltungsvorschriften-im-internet.de/bsvwvbund_2806201

• Information on the 2023 Wohngeld (housing benefit) reform (Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building) www.bmwsb.bund.de/SharedDocs/topthemen/Webs/BMWSB/DE/wohngel • Notes on Wohngeld (housing benefit) (Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building) www.bmwsb.bund.de/Webs/BMWSB/DE/themen/stadt-wohnen/wohnraum • Rent Service (Senate Department for Urban Development, Building and Housing) www.berlin.de/sen/wohnen/ • Tenant Protection Portal (Senate Department for Urban Development, Building and Housing) www.berlin.de/sen/stadt/service/mieterschutz/ • Wohngeld (housing benefit) - apply for rent subsidy (service) service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/120656/

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.