support
Housing benefit should increase by an average of 190 euros
More people than before are to receive housing benefit. photo
© Monika Skolimowska/dpa
Housing benefit households should get more money. Low-income households will receive the support, which will in future also include people who earn minimum wage or have a pension of a comparable amount.
Housing allowances for low-income households are to increase by an average of €190 per month from January. This emerges from a draft by Minister of Construction Klara Geywitz (SPD), which is available to the German Press Agency and which the ARD magazine “Fakt” first reported on Friday.
As a result of the reform, which was initiated because of the high energy costs, housing benefit households should then receive around 370 euros a month on average. So far, the average support is 177 euros per month and household.
The circle of beneficiaries is expanded
In addition, the circle of beneficiaries will be significantly expanded: in addition to the previous 600,000 households, there will be up to 1.4 million more households whose income now falls below the new housing benefit threshold. In the future, people who earn minimum wage or have a pension of a comparable amount should also receive housing benefit.
The amount of housing benefit depends not only on income, but also on rent, household size and place of residence. According to the ministry, not all households that are entitled to it have applied for housing benefit, probably also because of the complicated calculation. You can use the ministry’s housing allowance calculator to calculate whether you could get housing allowance online.
The traffic light coalition had agreed on the housing benefit reform at the beginning of September with the planned third relief package. In the short term, there will also be another heating cost subsidy, which will later be permanently integrated into the housing benefit.