Overview
- Authorities released the 2026 advance-payment schedule, with January’s entitlement paid on 31 December 2025, and no across-the-board increase due before the next scheduled adjustment in January 2027.
- Eligibility hinges on household income and municipal Mietenstufe rent caps, not floor area, with heating and climate supplements factored into the recognized housing costs.
- People already receiving benefits that include housing costs, such as Bürgergeld, Sozialgeld or Grundsicherung, are generally excluded from Wohngeld.
- Asset checks follow benchmark allowances of €60,000 for the first household member plus €30,000 per additional person, counting only assets that are actually accessible, and households with severe disability or care needs can receive an additional €1,800 income disregard.
- Recent rulings reaffirm that credit lines or deposits that only offset an overdraft are not available income and that using one‑off payments to repay debts can trigger later recovery claims under §34 SGB II.