Housing Benefit Calculator 2026

The amount of housing benefit depends on household size, rent level and income. Example: a 2-person household in rent level III with gross wages of €1,500 (€1,118 after the employee lump sum for income-related expenses and the 20% flat-rate deduction), €500 basic rent and €100 service charges receives €414 per month according to our calculator. The Wohngeld Plus reform of 2023 significantly increased the amounts and newly introduced the heating component (flat rate by household size).

The income limits depend on household size and rent level. Example: a single-person household in rent level III with rent at or above the maximum amount receives housing benefit up to a countable income of €1,509 per month – for wages with a 30% flat-rate deduction (taxes, health and pension insurance), that is gross wages of €2,258, because the employee lump sum for income-related expenses of €102.50 a month is deducted from wages first (§ 14 (1) WoGG, § 9a EStG). This is the last income at which housing benefit is still paid out. The limits for all household sizes and rent levels are in the table below the calculator; they are calculated under § 19 WoGG and are not an official table.

Yes, if your pension is below the income limit and you do not receive a benefit that already covers your housing costs. For housing benefit the full pension counts, less a lump sum of €102 a year and the deductions under § 16 WoGG – for pensions the calculator preselects 10% for health and long-term care insurance. Example: with a pension of €1,300, living alone in rent level IV and paying €520 rent, the result is €204 housing benefit a month. With rent at the maximum amount, housing benefit is still paid there up to a pension of €1,721.

With the Wohngeld Plus reform from January 2023, benefits were significantly expanded: a heating component and a climate component (both flat rate by household size), and roughly three times as many eligible households (from around 600,000 to about 2 million). The second update ordinance increased the table values again by an average of 15% as of 1 January 2025. In 2026 these values still apply unchanged. Under § 43 WoGG, housing benefit would be due for its regular update on 01.01.2027; however, a federal government bill (Bundesrat printed paper 474/26) proposes to suspend this update, halve the heating cost component and adjust the benefit formula. The bill has not been passed yet (as of 23.09.2026) – our calculator applies the law currently in force.

Housing benefit is granted for 12 months. After that you must submit a renewal application. Submit it in good time (around 2 months before it expires) to avoid gaps.

If your income is not enough to cover your needs with housing benefit (and child supplement if applicable), you are entitled to citizen’s benefit. The job center checks which benefit is more favorable. As a rule of thumb: anyone who works and has a (low) income is usually better off with housing benefit plus child supplement.

Germany is divided into 7 rent levels – from rent level I (e.g. Görlitz, Gera) to rent level VII (e.g. Munich, Starnberg). The rent level determines the maximum rent recognized for housing benefit. In the calculator you simply search for your town – it sets the rent level from the annex to the Housing Benefit Ordinance (Wohngeldverordnung). Municipalities with 10,000 or more inhabitants are listed there individually; smaller ones use the rent level of their district.

No, housing benefit is tax-free and does not count as income for other social benefits. It also does not have to be repaid.