Apply for Housing Assistance - Rent Subsidy

Eligibility Requirements

Whether you are eligible for housing assistance—and, if so, how much—depends on three factors:

• the number of family members in the household
• the amount of the family’s income
• the amount of eligible rent or housing costs.

Residents of residential facilities who are housed there not just temporarily but on a permanent basis and who do not receive transfer payments (e.g., basic income support) are generally entitled to housing assistance.

Approval Period

The approval period begins on the 1st of the month in which the application is received by the housing allowance authority and the eligibility requirements are met. We recommend that you seek advice from the appropriate contact persons regarding this matter.

Applying

Housing allowance brochures, application forms, and information sheets are available free of charge at the housing allowance office.

You can also download the forms from the State of Thuringia’s form service.

You can now submit your housing allowance application online.

Information on Housing Allowance for Students

Students are generally not eligible for housing assistance, as they are usually entitled to BAföG in principle. It does not matter whether BAföG benefits have been applied for or not, or whether BAföG is actually paid—for example, due to the student’s own income or that of their parents being too high.

Eligibility for housing assistance is excluded only if all members of a household are eligible for BAföG. If even one person living in the household is not eligible for BAB or BAföG in principle, there is no exclusion from housing assistance.

Copies of the following documents are required to process the application.

Proof of income for all members of the household, e.g.,

• pension award notice, retirement benefit notice
• Decision on basic income support under SGB XII from the social services office
• Proof of earnings (e.g., wages, salary, part-time job, etc.)
• Proof of Unemployment Benefit I, Unemployment Benefit II, sick pay, alimony, and transitional allowance
• Proof of income from business operations and self-employment (e.g., income tax assessment, profit and loss statement, personal withdrawals, summary and balance sheets)
• Child benefit
• Type and amount of maintenance payments received (e.g., child support) as shown on unredacted bank statements from the last 3 months
• Proof of expenses due to statutory maintenance obligations on unredacted bank statements from the last 3 months
• Proof of maternity benefits (proof from the employer and health insurance provider), parental benefits
• Proof of training allowance (apprenticeship contract, pay stub)
• Proof of educational funding or rejection (BAföG, BAB)
• Certificate of enrollment in school or university
• Income from renting and leasing
• Proof of interest from savings
• Proof of vacation and Christmas bonuses
• Benefits in kind (income that is not in the form of cash)
• Proof of health and pension insurance (proof of payment/bank statement)
• Proof of daycare fees and proof of payment

Other

• Identity card or certificate of residence from the municipal office
• Bank account card
• Certificate of non-eligibility (from the housing assistance office at your secondary residence or last place of residence)
• Disability ID card (if applicable)
• Proof of need for long-term care (if applicable)

For applications for rental assistance, additionally

• Rental or occupancy agreement (for initial applications and when moving)
• Current statement of operating costs
• Rent receipts on unredacted bank statements from the last 3 months
• Proof of cable service (current account statement)
• Proof of subletting

For applications for a housing subsidy, additionally

• Land registry extract / purchase agreement (for initial applications)
• Property tax assessment
• Proof of living space size
• Certificate of loans taken out and the interest and principal payments, with corresponding proof of payment

For nursing home residents, additionally

• Residence contract
• Last 3 care facility bills
• Disability ID card
• Proof of care level