What Bürgergeld is, and why it now has a new name
Bürgergeld (literally "citizens' money") is Germany's means-tested safety net for people aged 15 up to retirement age who are able to work but cannot cover their living costs. It is run by the Jobcenter, a local office jointly operated by the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit) and the municipality. The legal basis is Book II of the Social Code, usually written SGB II.
In 2026 the system was reformed. The Bundestag passed the law on 5 March 2026, the Bundesrat approved it on 27 March 2026, and it has applied in stages since 1 July 2026Bundesregierung: Neue Grundsicherung seit Juli 2026. The payment is now called Grundsicherungsgeld (basic security money) and the scheme as a whole Grundsicherung für Arbeitsuchende (basic income support for jobseekers). Most people, and most search engines, still say Bürgergeld, so this guide uses both terms.
If you were already receiving Bürgergeld, you don't need to do anything: the Federal Employment Agency says existing decisions stay valid, payments continue without a break, and applications from July 2026 are handled under the new rules even if a form still says BürgergeldBundesagentur für Arbeit: Übergang zur neuen Grundsicherung.
Don't confuse it with unemployment benefit (Arbeitslosengeld I), which is insurance-based and depends on your previous contributions, or with Grundsicherung im Alter, the separate pension-age support paid by the social welfare office.
How much you get: the 2026 standard rates
The core of the payment is the Regelbedarf (standard needs rate), a flat monthly amount for food, clothing, household electricity and personal needs. The rates did not change from 2025 to 2026Bundesregierung: Regelbedarfe 2026.
Person | Monthly standard rate 2026 |
|---|---|
Single adult or single parent | 563 € |
Each adult partner in a couple | 506 € |
Adult under 25 living with parents | 451 € |
Teenager aged 14 to 17 | 471 € |
Child aged 6 to 13 | 390 € |
Child aged 0 to 5 | 357 € |
On top of this the Jobcenter pays your actual rent and heating costs as long as they are considered reasonable (angemessen) for your area. Income such as wages, Kindergeld or maintenance is deducted, but part of what you earn from work is ignored: the first 100 euros, then 20 percent of earnings between 100 and 520 euros, 30 percent between 520 and 1,000 euros and 10 percent up to 1,200 euros, or 1,500 euros if you have a minor child§ 11b SGB II: Absetzbeträge vom Einkommen.
Example: you live alone, pay 600 euros warm rent and earn 1,000 euros gross (say 800 euros net) in a part-time job. Your need is 563 plus 600, so 1,163 euros. Of your 800 euros net, 328 euros are disregarded, so 472 euros count. The Jobcenter tops you up with 691 euros a month. You can try your own numbers in the citizens' income calculator.
Who qualifies, and what your nationality changes
The general conditions are that you are at least 15 and below the statutory retirement age, able to work at least three hours a day, habitually resident in Germany and in need, meaning your income and assets don't cover your needs§ 7 SGB II: Leistungsberechtigte. Partners and children in your household form a Bedarfsgemeinschaft (needs community) and are assessed together.
As a foreign national, the rules differ depending on where you come from:
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens are excluded during their first three months in Germany unless they are employed or self-employed. They are also excluded if their only right of residence is looking for work. These exclusions generally stop after five years of habitual residence, counted from your registration (Anmeldung) at the local registration office§ 7 SGB II: Leistungsberechtigte.
If you have worked in Germany, you may keep worker status for a while after losing your job, which can protect your entitlement. How long depends on how long you were employed, so ask the Jobcenter to check your case.
Non-EU nationals must be allowed to take up employment, or at least be able to get permission, to count as able to work§ 8 SGB II: Erwerbsfähigkeit. People holding a permit only to search for a job or training are excluded§ 7 SGB II: Leistungsberechtigte.
Refugees from Ukraine who arrived on or after 1 April 2025 are to move to benefits under the Asylum Seekers' Benefits Act under a separate bill, the Leistungsrechtsanpassungsgesetz; those who arrived earlier stay in the SGB II systemBMAS: FAQ Rechtskreiswechsel (Stand 1. Juni 2026). Ask the Jobcenter whether and from when this applies to you.
Will claiming affect my residence permit?
This is the question most expats should ask before applying. Under the Residence Act, most residence titles are normally only issued or renewed if your livelihood is secured (Lebensunterhalt gesichert)§ 5 AufenthG: Allgemeine Erteilungsvoraussetzungen. That means you can support yourself, including health insurance, without public funds§ 2 AufenthG: Sicherung des Lebensunterhalts.
The law lists benefits that do not count as public funds, including Kindergeld, Kinderzuschlag, Elterngeld and benefits based on your own contributions, such as unemployment benefit (Arbeitslosengeld I). Bürgergeld or Grundsicherungsgeld is not on that list, so receiving it generally means your livelihood is not secured§ 2 AufenthG: Sicherung des Lebensunterhalts.
In practice that means:
Claiming is legal if you are eligible, and if you need it, you should apply. But it can make it harder to extend a work permit or EU Blue Card, to obtain a settlement permit or to bring family members to Germany.
Humanitarian permits, such as for recognised refugees, have their own exceptions where the livelihood requirement is waived§ 5 AufenthG: Allgemeine Erteilungsvoraussetzungen.
If you have just lost your job, apply for Arbeitslosengeld I first if you qualify. It doesn't count against you in the same way. The Blue Card guide explains what job loss means for Blue Card holders.
If your permit renewal is coming up, talk to an independent migration advice service before or alongside your application.
Savings, rent and the 2026 changes
The reform made the rules stricter in several placesBundesregierung: Neue Grundsicherung seit Juli 2026:
Savings: the one-year grace period for assets was abolished. Each person in the household can now keep an allowance by age: 5,000 euros up to the 30th birthday, 10,000 euros from the 31st year of life, 12,500 euros from the 41st and 20,000 euros from the 51st. A reasonable car per working-age adult, household goods, certain pension products and a self-occupied home of limited size remain protected§ 12 SGB II: Zu berücksichtigendes Vermögen.
Rent: in the first year, rent above the local limit is still accepted, but no longer if it is more than one and a half times that limit. After the first year, you will be asked to cut costs, usually within six months. Always get written approval (Zusicherung) before signing a new lease§ 22 SGB II: Bedarfe für Unterkunft und Heizung.
Work: single people are expected to work full-time where reasonable, and parents can be asked to work once their child is 14 months old.
Duties and sanctions
Receiving Grundsicherungsgeld comes with Mitwirkungspflichten (duties to cooperate): attending appointments, applying for jobs agreed in your cooperation plan (Kooperationsplan) and reporting changes in income, household or address straight away.
If you don't, the Jobcenter can reduce your standard rate by 30 percent; according to the federal government, for three months at a time in the case of broken agreements. The first missed appointment has no consequence, the second costs 30 percent for one month, and missing three in a row can end the payment entirely, including rentBundesregierung: Neue Grundsicherung seit Juli 2026. Refusing a specific, available job can remove the standard rate completely. Reductions for breaches don't normally cut rent payments, and the Jobcenter must waive them in cases of exceptional hardship§ 31a SGB II: Rechtsfolgen bei Pflichtverletzungen. If you are ill, send a sick note every time.
How to apply at the Jobcenter
Find the Jobcenter responsible for your address. You can apply online through a Federal Employment Agency account, by post, by phone or in person; online is quickestBundesagentur für Arbeit: Grundsicherungsgeld online beantragen.
Apply in the month you need help. The claim goes back to the first day of that month, not further§ 37 SGB II: Antragserfordernis.
Prepare your passport and residence permit, registration certificate, rental contract, payslips, bank statements for the last three months and proof of savings. Send copies, not originals.
Complete your labour market profile online and attend the first meeting with your adviser.
Check the decision (Bescheid). You have one month to object if something is wrong.
Payments arrive monthly in advance, usually on the last day of the previous monthBundesagentur für Arbeit: Grundsicherungsgeld – Auszahlung und Dauer. Awards normally run for 12 months, sometimes six; before they end you must file a continuation application (Weiterbewilligungsantrag).
Other benefits to check first
Bürgergeld is a last resort. Families on a low wage may be better off with Kindergeld plus the child supplement (Kinderzuschlag) and housing benefit (Wohngeld), which do not involve Jobcenter obligations. Get your tax ID sorted for any Kindergeld claim, see the Kindergeld guide, check your take-home pay with the gross-to-net calculator, and use the benefits finder to compare options.
Information current as of 6 November 2026.
