Cash benefits

Unemployment benefit is a cash benefit provided by the German unemployment insurance system. The Agency for Employment is responsible for this. Unemployment benefit is based on how long you were employed subject to compulsory insurance and how high your salary was. If you are threatened with unemployment, you must register with the employment agency as a  jobseeker (opens in a new tab) at least three months before the end of your employment .

If the unemployment benefit is not sufficient to cover your living expenses, you can apply for a supplementary citizen's allowance from the Job Center. However jobseeker (opens in a new tab) at least three months before the end of your employment .

If the unemployment benefit is not sufficient to cover your living expenses, you can apply for a supplementary citizen's allowance from the Job Center. However, if you are not entitled to unemployment benefit, you can apply directly to the job center for a citizen's allowance.

The standard needs cover your basic needs financially and therefore include, for example, expenses for food, clothing, personal hygiene, furniture and electricity. The amount of your individual standard needs depends on your age and circumstances.

(Standard requirements from January 1, 2025)

Certain life situations and circumstances require additional financial support. Of course, even then you can rely on the help of the Jobcenter, for this the SGB II provides additional benefits.

A roof over your head is of course one of your basic needs. The Jobcenter will therefore also cover your rent and heating costs as part of your livelihood, provided they are reasonable.

Whether the rent is reasonable is determined with the help of the so-called "upper rent limits" (see table). For small flats/apartments/shared rooms whose living space is less than the square meters (m²) specified in the table, the appropriate rent is determined using the  rent index for Stuttgart (opens in a new tab).

(rent ceilings 2025/2026 in Stuttgart)

As a rule, the Jobcenter also takes into account rents that are above the upper rent limits in the first year. After this 12-month period, which is known as the "waiting period", the Jobcenter will check whether it is reasonable for you to reduce your rent costs in the future.

If you are planning to move, please be sure to ask the Jobcenter in advance whether the new rent can be paid in full.

Children, adolescents and young adults also receive  benefits for education and participation in addition to the monthly benefits from the Job Center (Bürgergeld). For schoolchildren, these include, for example, excursions and school trips, lunch at school and daycare centers, the JugendTicketBW and learning support; for children and young people under 18, they also receive support for membership in a sports club and music lessons.

With the exception of the "learning support" benefit, no separate application is required for these benefits. Education and participation benefits are automatically applied for with every Bürgergeld application.

You are entitled to the citizen's income if you are

• are fit for work
• are between the age of 15 and the statutory retirement age,
• have your usual place of residence in Germany and
• are proven to be in need of assistance.

You are fit for work if you can work at least three hours a day and no health problems prevent you from doing so. If you are a foreigner, you must be allowed or be able to be allowed to take up employment.

Your relatives, your partner or your partner can also receive benefits if they live with you in a so-called community of need in the same household.

In the case of self-employed trainees, students and pupils, the entitlement to benefits must be examined on a case-by-case basis. This also applies to foreign nationals.

As a general rule, at least one person in the community of need must be capable of working in order for all members of the community of need to receive Bürgergeld.

This depends in particular on the size of the family or community of need, the amount of rent, income and assets. You will find detailed information at the top of this page. The Service Center SGB II answers many other questions on the amount of the Citizen's Allowance under  Questions and Answers on the Citizen's Allowance (opens in a new tab).

However, the Jobcenter Stuttgart will of course be happy to provide you with detailed and individual advice.

To apply for Citizen's Allowance, you will need the following documents, among others:

• Identity card or passport including registration certificate
• Rental contract including the last heating and service charge statement
• Bank statements from all accounts, savings accounts, etc. for the last three months, for self-employed persons for the last six months
• Membership certificate of the health insurance company
• Proof of income from employment (employment contract, last three pay slips)
• Notices of benefits from other social welfare institutions, e.g. child benefit, unemployment benefit, pensions
• Evidence of the value of investments and assets

An application for a citizen's allowance is always effective back to the 1st day of the month in which the application was made. This also applies to education and participation benefits.

The benefits are usually transferred to your account at the beginning of the month. For new applications, the money is usually credited to your account within three business days of approval. Approval can be made as soon as the required documents are complete.

Those who already receive citizen's benefits and need money immediately in an emergency may be able to receive an advance in the form of a cash card or food vouchers. The cash card can be redeemed for cash at a central cash machine.

In any case, please contact the Jobcenter branch office in your place of residence or the relevant Jobcenter specialist office in the event of an acute emergency.

In principle, all money received counts as income. It doesn't matter whether you receive it once or repeatedly. Based on your income, minus the allowances and deductions to which you are entitled, the Jobcenter determines the amount that will be offset against the Citizen's Allowance. Income is always taken into account in the month in which you received it.

Cash income that is taken into account as income is, for example

• Wages/salary from non-self-employed work
• Income from self-employed work
• Unemployment benefit
• sickness benefit
• child benefit
• Parental allowance
• Maintenance payments or advance maintenance payments
• Capital and interest income
• Income from letting and leasing

An initial overview of the allowances to which you are entitled is provided by the allowance calculator of the SGB II service center:  Allowance calculator (opens in a new tab)

Assets are all objects (or their monetary value), cash and financial investments that you or your relatives own within a community of need. Assets include everything you already owned before you submitted your application. You are obliged to declare assets. There are quite high asset exemption limits. Only above this limit are assets to be used for living expenses.

The following asset allowances apply:

During the one-year, so-called waiting period, which begins when benefits are received, up to 40,000 euros are disregarded for the applicant and 15,000 euros for each additional member of the community of need. After the waiting period, there is an asset allowance of 15,000 euros for each person in the community of need. Insurance contracts intended for old-age provision are not to be taken into account as assets.

The following assets, for example, are disregarded from the outset:

• an appropriate car for each person capable of work in the community of need
• one owner-occupied property of an appropriate size

You have several options for submitting your application for Bürgergeld to the Jobcenter Stuttgart. You can download your application and relevant attachments, fill them out and print them out and send them to the Jobcenter Stuttgart.

You can also submit your initial application for Bürgergeld directly online to the Jobcenter Stuttgart using the following link:

 Application for Citizen's Allowance (opens in a new tab)

You are already receiving Bürgergeld from the Jobcenter Stuttgart and would like to apply for the continuation of your benefits online or submit a notification of change online? You can find both forms under the following link:

 Application for Continued Approval (WBA) | Notice of Change (opens in a new tab)