Social welfare benefits

If you don't have enough money to live on, you can get money from the government.
Such money is a “social benefit”.
For example, citizen’s allowance, housing benefit, child benefit.
There are different authorities that provide the money.
For example, the job center, the social welfare office, the family benefits office.
Here There is information about money for people who have children.
The money is called “family benefits.”

There are many rules for foreigners as to whether or not they receive such money.
The information on this page explains the situation for EU citizens.
There are different rules for people who are not EU citizens.
These people can seek advice if they have questions about social benefits.
Such counseling centers can be found under Further Help. 

Here you can see two representations with the most common authorities in Germany.

This question is complex and each person has their own situation.
If you or your family members work, you can receive social benefits.
You don't have to have a full-time job.
A mini-job is also sufficient if you work several hours per week.
Even if you are self-employed and have a low income, you can still receive social benefits.
If you earn little money, you can get citizen's allowance from the job center.
If you earn a little more money but not much, you can get housing benefit from the social welfare office.

If you lose your job, you may still be able to receive social benefits.
However, unemployment must be involuntary.
For example, because you had a fixed-term contract.
There are also other regulations for EU citizens on how they can receive social benefits without working.

If you have a child in school (not daycare/kindergarten) in Germany and have worked in Germany at some point, you can receive social benefits as long as the child goes to school.
Or if you have lived in Germany for 5 years and can prove it.
Normally, the first registration in Germany is used to prove these 5 years.
The rules on social benefits for EU citizens are very complex.
There are sometimes new laws about this.
If you are not sure whether you are entitled to benefits, seek help from a counseling center. 

Many people have heard of the job center.
The job center pays the social benefit “Citizens’ Money.”
Some people also call it 'ALGII / Arbeitslosengeld II / Hartz IV / SGB II'.
Citizen's income is for people who don't have a job. But it's also for people who work and don't have enough to pay for everything themselves. 

If you want to receive citizen’s allowance from the Leipzig Jobcenter, you must have the following:

• You can work at least 3 hours per day. 
• You live in Leipzig. 
• You are not of retirement age. 

You have to ask the job center for the money.
 

Postal address: 
Jobcenter Leipzig 
PO Box 100831 
04008 Leipzig 

E-mail: jobcenter-leipzig@jobcenter-ge.de 

The best way to do this is online at “Jobcenter digital" make.

To verify your eligibility, you must fill out various forms.
All applicants must complete the “Main motion" fill out.
There are other forms for this, depending on your personal situation.
If you have children, you must complete the form “AI" fill out.
If you have income, you must complete the form “EK" fill out.

In addition to the forms, the job center needs other documents.
For example: bank statements, pay slips, rental agreements.
Send these documents as copies, not the originals.
If the job center has other questions or needs documents, you will be contacted.

It is important that you check regularly to see if you have any new communication from the Jobcenter.
Try to clarify any outstanding questions and submit documents before the deadline.
The job center will give you a deadline. This is the date by which you should resolve the matter.
If you need more time, you can request more time. This is called an "extension."
When you apply for citizen's allowance, you'll receive a number called a needs-based community number or BG number. Always write this number down when sending something to the job center.

If you need help with the forms, ask the Jobcenter for an appointment.
This means “assisted initial application with interpreter”.
The best way to ask is by email and the language you speak.
E-mail: Jobcenter-Leipzig@jobcenter-ge.de

EU citizens are entitled to this. They don't have to pay anything for it, and they don't have to bring someone to the job center to translate everything.
This regulation is in this document declared by the Federal Employment Agency.
The Federal Employment Agency regulates all job centers and employment agencies in Germany.

Once the job center has reviewed everything, a decision will be made. The job center will inform you of this in a letter called a "notice."
This notice is very important. You should keep it.
If you receive money, you will receive a “notice of approval.”
It looks like this:

If you don’t get money, you’ll receive a “rejection notice.” 

If you receive such letters, you should examine them carefully.
If the job center gives you money:
For how long?
How much?
Did they calculate everything correctly? Will I get enough money for my rent? 

If the job center does not give you money:
Why not?
Did I forget to send something or did the job center not calculate correctly?

If something is incorrect, you have one month to correct it.
You file an objection and send it to the job center.
An objection is a letter in which you state what was incorrect in the decision.
Your situation will then be reviewed again and you will receive a new notice.
This is called “notice of objection”.
Once a month has passed, you can no longer object.
However, you can have the notice reviewed.
To do this, you make a “review request”.
If you still think the decision is incorrect, you can go to court.
The court for such social benefits is called the Social Court.
You should seek advice before doing this. 

The job center pays money on the last working day of a month for the next month.
For example: The Jobcenter transfers the money on Thursday, November 30, 2023, for the month of December 2023.
If you don’t have any money, you can get money directly from the job center.
This means “advance payment”.
You will receive an advance payment if you have submitted the necessary documents but processing still requires time.
You must also show that you do not have any money in your bank account.
You will receive the money as a voucher.
You take the voucher to a supermarket and get the money paid out.

The job center gives money for various things:
Standard needs: This is money for food, clothing, electricity, and so on
Rent (including water and heating costs)
Health insurance: the job center pays this directly to the health insurance company.
Children in school or training: Job centers pay for various things. This is explained here.
There is more money for certain people, for example pregnant women or single parents.

Jobcenter also pays money for one-off things:
If you move into an apartment and have no furniture, you will receive money for furniture from the Jobcenter.
If you have a baby, Jobcenter pays money for baby clothes and things like a baby bed.
If you have a back payment for operating costs for your apartment, the Jobcenter can also pay this.
There are people who normally have enough money and do not need help from the job center.
But you cannot pay if you receive a large additional payment for operating costs.
If you submit the bill to the job center in the same month, the job center can still pay it. 

The Job Center pays the money monthly in advance. This means the money is transferred on the last working day of the month for the following month.
For example: You get the money for April at the end of March.
Sometimes it takes a few days for the money to be in your account.
If you urgently need money, you can apply for an advance.
This means you get some money (100€ or so) now from the money for next month.
If you need an advance, you must go to the job center and explain your situation.
You must have proof that you don't have any money. It's best to show the current balance of your bank account. 

If you receive money from the Jobcenter, you do not have to pay for certain things, for example:  

• Broadcasting fee 
• health insurance 
• Pay parental fees for daycare/after-school care 
• Integration course (German course) 

The notice is generally valid for 6 or 12 months. This is the "approval period."
At the end of this period, you must submit a new application if you continue to need help from the Jobcenter.
You do not need to submit a completely new application. You only need to fill out the form WBA (application for continued approval) fill out.
Make sure you submit the new application before the approval period expires.
Otherwise, you won't get any money and will have to pay for things like health insurance yourself. 

There are many other social benefits for specific situations. For example, when someone retires or has a disability.
For the first time, we can only briefly say something about other benefits besides the Citizens' Allowance from the Job Center.

The Leipzig Pass is for people in Leipzig who don't have much money.
It's a card with your photo on it.
With the Leipzig Pass you can Germany Ticket get it cheaper.
It costs 29€ instead of 49€.
Other things are also cheaper, for example going to a museum or swimming pool.

You can get the Leipzig Pass at a citizens’ office in Leipzig.
You can make an appointment here book.
You must bring various documents with you.
It is important to provide proof that you do not have that much money.
You bring a notice from the job center/social welfare office or your pay slips.
Here everything is explained simply.

People with the Leipzig Pass who have children can also receive education and participation benefits.
For example, you don’t have to pay for school meals or for a school trip.
Read how to do this at School.