Benefits &amp; entitlements

Up to €992 per month (2025 maximum), depending on your circumstances.

Education

Student support (BAföG)

Monthly support for students and pupils — for students, half is a grant and half an interest-free loan.

School supplies (€195/year), free school lunches, trips, travel, and €15/month for clubs.

Education & participation package (Bildung und Teilhabe)

Covers school supplies, lunches, trips and club fees for children in families on a low income.

Standard rate €563/month for a single adult (2025), plus reasonable rent and heating.

Income support

Basic income support (Bürgergeld)

Basic support covering living costs plus rent and heating for people with little or no income.

Usually 65–67% of your previous net income, between €300 and €1,800 per month.

Parental allowance (Elterngeld)

Income replacement for parents who reduce work to care for a newborn — usually 65–67% of net pay.

Your ALG I rate plus €300/month for 6 months, then €300/month for a further 9 months.

Work

Start-up grant (Gründungszuschuss)

Support to start your own business when coming out of unemployment — a monthly top-up for the early months.

A standard rate plus reasonable rent and heating, similar to Bürgergeld levels.

Income support

Basic security in old age (Grundsicherung im Alter)

Means-tested support for people at retirement age whose pension and income are too low to live on.

Deduct 80% of childcare costs, up to €4,800 per child per year.

Tax

Childcare-cost deduction (Kinderbetreuungskosten)

Deduct most of what you pay for daycare, childminders or after-school care from your taxable income.

€255 per child per month (2026).

Child benefit (Kindergeld)

A monthly payment for almost every family raising a child in Germany — €255 per child.

Up to €297 per child per month, on top of Kindergeld.

Supplementary child allowance (Kinderzuschlag)

An extra monthly top-up for working parents on a modest income — up to €297 per child.

€0.30/km (€0.38 from km 21) one way, per working day — frequently €100s per year.

Tax

Commuter allowance (Entfernungspauschale)

A tax deduction for your commute — €0.30/km (€0.38 from km 21), one way, each working day.

€175/year base subsidy, plus €300/year for each child born from 2008.

Pension

Riester pension subsidy (Riester-Zulage)

State top-ups to a private retirement-savings contract — €175/year base, plus €300/year per child.

Saves the full €18.36 per month if you qualify for a full exemption.

Media

Broadcasting-fee exemption (Rundfunkbeitrag-Befreiung)

If you receive certain benefits or are a BAföG student, you can be exempted from the €18.36/month fee.

€1,230/year applies automatically; itemising higher costs can mean a sizeable refund.

Tax

Work-expense deductions (Werbungskosten)

Job-related costs you can deduct from taxable income — €1,230/year applies even without receipts.

On average around €370 per month for eligible households; varies with rent and income.

Housing

Housing benefit (Wohngeld)

A monthly subsidy toward your rent (or mortgage costs) for lower-income households.