Wohngeld 2026: Asset Limits Unchanged, Heating Credit Continues, Court Ruling Narrows Claims

Overview

• Wohngeld remains a priority housing subsidy that cannot be combined with Bürgergeld or Sozialhilfe under §7 WoGG, but it can be received alongside Kinderzuschlag, Kindergeld, ALG I and pensions.
• Asset guidance used by authorities stays at about €60,000 for a single person plus €30,000 per additional household member in 2026, with case-by-case discretion and certain locked retirement savings excluded up to €1,500 per life-year (max €90,000).
• Since the 2023 Wohngeld-Plus reform, heating costs are not reimbursed from actual bills but through a household-size-based allowance under §12 WoGG, which raises the eligible housing cost used in the calculation.
• Disability and care-related allowances are applied in assessments, including a reported €1,800 annual exemption per eligible household member, and pensioners benefit from a basic pension exemption that shields part of their income.
• Recent court decisions upheld denials in cases deemed abusive, including a long-term student whose claim was rejected after 68 semesters, while separate reporting highlights persistent rent shortfalls for Bürgergeld recipients due to locally set KdU ceilings.