Bürgergeld is now Grundsicherungsgeld: rates, rules and what it means for expats

What changed on 1 July 2026

The federal government's summary and the labour ministry's FAQ list every change. The Jobcenter, the rates and the basic idea (a minimum income for people who can work but cannot support themselves) stay. The rules around it are much stricter.

People who already received Bürgergeld move to the new rules in stages; your Jobcenter decision letter says which rules apply to you.

How much you get in 2026

The monthly standard rate (Regelsatz) covers food, clothing, electricity, phone, transport and personal needs. It did not rise in 2026: the formula would have lowered it, but the law forbids cuts, so it was frozen.

On top of the standard rate, the Jobcenter pays:

• Rent and heating (Kosten der Unterkunft und Heizung) at the actual amount, as long as it is considered reasonable (see below).
• Health and care insurance: you are covered by public health insurance through the Jobcenter. See Health insurance in Germany.
• Extra needs (Mehrbedarfe) for pregnancy, single parents, special diets for medical reasons and disabilities.
• Education and participation (Bildung und Teilhabe) for children: school trips, school supplies, lunch at school or daycare, tutoring, sports clubs.

Recipients are also exempt from the €18.36 monthly broadcasting fee on application; see Rundfunkbeitrag. Many cities add local perks against the Jobcenter decision letter: a reduced public transport ticket (Sozialticket), free or cheaper Kita places, and discounts at pools, museums and libraries. Ask your city what it offers.

Example: a single adult in a flat with €550 rent and €80 heating receives €563 + €630 = €1,193 a month, plus health insurance, as long as the rent is within the local limit.

Rent: the 12-month grace period and the new cap

For the first 12 months, the Jobcenter pays your actual rent even if it is above the local "reasonable" limit (Angemessenheitsgrenze). That grace period survived the reform, but it now has a ceiling: rent above 1.5 times the local limit is not covered, even in year one.

After 12 months you are expected to bring the rent down to the local limit: by moving, subletting a room or negotiating. The Jobcenter sends a formal cost-reduction notice first. Households with children are protected by a hardship rule. The local limits differ by city and household size; your Jobcenter publishes them.

Savings you may keep

The generous first-year allowance (€40,000) is gone. Since 1 July 2026, the savings you may keep depend on your age, from the first day:

Anything above that must be used up first. On top of that, a reasonable car and a self-occupied home of appropriate size stay protected, as do recognised retirement savings and earmarked funeral provisions. Declare everything on the application: incorrect asset information is the most common reason for repayment demands.

Working while receiving it (Aufstocken)

Many recipients work, often part-time or in low-paid jobs, and the Jobcenter tops up the gap. Your earnings count against the benefit, but not all of them. The earnings allowances were not changed by the reform:

• The first €100 a month is free.
• Of the part between €100 and €520: 20% is free.
• Of the part between €520 and €1,000: 30% is free.
• Of the part between €1,000 and €1,200 (€1,500 with a child): 10% is free.

So someone earning €1,000 gross keeps €304 on top of the benefit; the rest of their net pay reduces it. Minijobs are covered in Mini-jobs.

Your duties and the new sanctions

The Neue Grundsicherung is built on the principle "Fördern und Fordern": support in return for duties. Anyone who can work must do so "to the maximum reasonable extent", which for single people usually means full-time.

• Appointments: the first missed Jobcenter appointment has no consequence. From the second, the standard rate is cut by 30% for one month. After three missed appointments in a row without a good reason, you are treated as unreachable and the standard rate stops; rent is paid for one more month, then that stops too.
• Other duties (applying for jobs, taking part in courses): a breach cuts the standard rate by 30% for three months: €168.90 a month for a single adult.
• Refusing a reasonable job: the standard rate is withheld for at least one and at most two months. Your rent is paid directly to your landlord so you do not fall into arrears.
• Parents: duties start once the youngest child turns 14 months, if childcare is available.

A "good reason" (wichtiger Grund), such as illness with a doctor's note, protects you. Always tell the Jobcenter in writing and keep proof.

Can foreigners get Grundsicherungsgeld?

The basic conditions are: aged 15 to retirement age, able to work at least 3 hours a day, in need, and living in Germany. For foreigners, §7 of the Social Code II adds exclusions:

• First 3 months of residence: excluded, unless you are employed or self-employed in Germany (or a family member of one).
• Right of residence only to look for work: excluded. This mainly hits EU citizens who came to job-hunt.
• EU citizens who work (including part-time and Minijobs of substance) or who lost a job after working in Germany keep worker status and can top up or claim.
• After 5 years of residence in Germany, the job-seeker exclusion no longer applies.
• Non-EU citizens can generally claim with a residence permit that allows work. The real question is what it does to the permit.

What claiming does to your residence permit

This is the decisive point for non-EU expats. Most residence permits require that your living costs are covered without public funds, and Grundsicherungsgeld is the clearest example of public funds.

• Permit extension: can be refused if you depend on Grundsicherungsgeld. Foreigners' offices weigh the whole case, including how long you have lived here and whether you work.
• Permanent residence (Niederlassungserlaubnis): requires a secured livelihood; receiving Grundsicherungsgeld blocks it in practice. See Permanent residency (Niederlassungserlaubnis).
• Citizenship: the naturalisation law explicitly requires that you support yourself without Grundsicherungsgeld or Sozialhilfe, unless you are not responsible for needing it. See German citizenship.
• Family reunification: usually requires secured livelihood for the whole family.

What to claim instead, where possible:

• Arbeitslosengeld I is insurance you paid into and does not count against your permit. If you lost a job after 12 months of contributions, claim that first; Losing your job in Germany on a visa covers the timing.
• Kinderzuschlag, Kindergeld and Elterngeld are on the Residence Act's safe list. See Kindergeld.
• Wohngeld is not on the safe list either, so the same caution applies. See Wohngeld.

If you are in real need, apply anyway: nobody should go without food or housing, and a migration counselling service (Migrationsberatung für erwachsene Zuwanderer) can help you weigh the permit question with the foreigners' office.

How to apply

1. Contact your local Jobcenter or apply online at jobcenter.digital.
2. Apply in the month you need it. Benefits are paid from the first day of the month in which you apply, not earlier. A short, informal application is enough to secure the date; the full forms can follow.
3. Documents: ID and residence permit, registration certificate (Anmeldung), rental contract and latest utility bill, bank statements for the last months, proof of income and savings for everyone in the household, and your health insurance details.
4. Decision: usually granted for 12 months. Report every change in income, household or address straight away.

Grundsicherungsgeld vs other benefits

Frequently asked questions