Housing benefit - rent subsidy for rented flats
Do you have a low income and are a tenant or care home resident? Then you can reduce your housing costs. To do this, apply for housing benefit.
Course description
housing benefit helps low-income households to finance their housing costs. You can apply for housing benefit as a tenant or care home resident (= rent subsidy). The prerequisite is that you have your centre of life (main residence) in the flat or care home.
You must submit your housing benefit application to the housing benefit office at your place of residence.
Tip: Use the housing benefit calculator before you submit an application. This will show you immediately whether and approximately how much housing benefit you will receive per month (non-binding information). Please enter the city of Munich as your location, not the district of Munich.
Prerequisites
whether you receive housing benefit and how much depends on
- the number of people in your household (= people you live with)
- the amount of rent or housing costs
- the income of your household
This overview gives you an initial indication of whether your household meets the income limits.
you cannot receive housing benefit
- if you receive social benefits that also include accommodation costs (for example, benefits according to SGB II / SGB XII)
- if all persons in the application receive or could in principle receive a training grant (e.g. BAföG or vocational training allowance)
- for a second home (secondary residence)
Required documents
which documents we need depends on your specific case. The following list may therefore not be complete or may contain documents that do not apply in your case. If you apply for housing benefit online, you will receive a personalised checklist with the required documents as part of the application process.
- Proof of your household income (all persons):
for example, certificate of earnings, wage/salary statements for the last 3 months, pension notice including last notification of change, last income tax notice, parental benefit notice, sickness benefit notice, child benefit notice, child supplement, maintenance agreements - Proof of your housing costs:
for example, rental agreement, last rent increase letter, proof of rent payment - Other evidence:
for example, certificate of severe disability, confirmation of care level (care assessment)
Questions & Answers
you are welcome to use the online application. Here you can see directly which documents we need to process your application and can easily upload them. This helps us to process your application more quickly.
Alternatively, you can also apply for housing benefit using the paper form.
Please make sure you complete all fields. The document symbol on the application form shows you when we need proof of your details. Please send us these documents with your application. Postal address: Amt für Wohnen und Migration, Wohngeld, Werinherstraße 89, 81541 Munich.
Your housing costs correspond to the rent you pay for your living space (gross rent).
This does not include
- Heating costs and hot water costs
- Energy costs (electricity)
- Rental costs for a garage or parking space
- Costs for nursing and care services or domestic services
However, we can only take your housing costs into account up to a certain amount (see next question).
According to the law, we are only allowed to take your housing costs into account up to a certain amount. The portion of your housing costs that is above the maximum amount does not affect your housing benefit entitlement.
In the city of Munich, the following maximum amounts apply for 2025:
| Number of persons | Eligible housing costs Maximum eligible housing costs (in euros) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 696,20 |
| 2 | 844,80 |
| 3 | 1.004,60 |
| 5 | 1.341,20 |
| for each additional person | 195,40 |
The amounts shown in the table include the air conditioning component.
Example: You live alone and pay a rent of 900 euros per month (gross cold). You therefore have housing costs totalling 900 euros. When calculating your housing benefit entitlement, we can only recognise 696.20 euros of this amount.
Depending on your income, your housing benefit notice is valid for one to two years. It is valid from the first day of the month in which you submitted your application (approval period). You will receive housing benefit for this period.
To extend the housing benefit, you must submit a new housing benefit application. We recommend that you submit the application early. This will help you to avoid long gaps in your rent allowance.
You can find answers to the most frequently asked questions about housing benefit on the website of the Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Building.
Do you have more questions - about housing benefit in general or about your housing benefit application? Then please call us on 089 233 - 49250.
A consultation with your case officer is only possible by appointment.
Please call us on 089 233-49250. We will be happy to answer your questions and arrange an appointment if necessary.
Legal basis
Housing Benefit Act (WoGG)
Sozialreferat
Fachbereich Wohngeld
Phone number
Postal address
Landeshauptstadt München
Sozialreferat
Fachbereich Wohngeld
Werinherstraße 89
81541 München
Address
Werinherstraße 87
81541 München
Personal consultations are only possible after prior appointment by telephone for urgent exceptional cases. Tel.: 089 / 233 - 49250.
personal consultations are only possible by appointment. You can request an appointment by telephone (089 233-49250):
Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 8.30 am to 12 noon,
Wednesday additionally from 3 to 5 pm