The application counts from the first of the filing month — every month of hesitation costs €563 plus rent. Filing takes an evening online; deciding can run in parallel.
Who Qualifies — and How Much (€563 in 2026)
Bürgergeld is the basic income support for employable people with insufficient income. The 2026 rate: €563 single, plus rent with heating. For foreigners there is a big caveat.
✓ Verified: 18/07/2026
WHAT TO DO
AUTHORITY
Jobcenter
Public bodyApply for Bürgergeld (SGB II) at the Jobcenter where you live — online via jobcenter.digital.
Where to go in your city →› Details and tips
👨🏻💻
Max recommends:
Before applying I went to migration counselling: in one hour it was clear my 18b title tolerates Buergergeld while a friend 16b does not. One hour before versus years of consequences.
👩🏼💼
Lea recommends:
Learn the word Mitwirkungspflicht: an unanswered Jobcenter letter cuts payments faster than any rejection. Empty the mailbox twice a week and meet the letter deadlines.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
My partner works — will I be refused? ▾
The household is calculated as a whole: partner income counts. But with low total income a top-up is possible — run the numbers through the official calculator, do not guess.
What savings may I keep? ▾
In the first year (grace period) up to 40 000 € plus 15 000 € per additional household member; reasonable owner-occupied housing stays untouched. Afterwards limits drop, but essentials remain protected.
How exactly does it affect my permit? ▾
It depends on the title: EU citizens and PR holders are better protected; work permits risk non-renewal while claiming; citizenship requires self-sufficiency (with exceptions: recent job loss through no fault, childcare). THE question before applying — migration counselling is free.
Just lost my job — straight to Bürgergeld? ▾
ALG I first if you have 12 contribution months — it is insurance and permit-neutral. Bürgergeld enters when ALG I is missing or insufficient (topping up alongside work is possible too).