Wohngeld FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions

Wohngeld is a government subsidy for housing costs. It helps lower-income households cover their rent or the costs of owner-occupied housing. Wohngeld does not need to be repaid and is paid monthly. There are two types: the rent subsidy (Mietzuschuss) for tenants and the cost subsidy (Lastenzuschuss) for homeowners.

All persons residing in Germany can apply for Wohngeld if they live in the dwelling themselves and bear the rent or housing costs themselves. The three main requirements are: income must be below the statutory limits, rent must not exceed certain maximum amounts, and no priority benefits such as Bürgergeld or basic income support may be received. Foreign nationals with a valid residence permit can also receive Wohngeld.

Wohngeld is a pure rent subsidy and only covers housing costs. Bürgergeld, on the other hand, covers the entire subsistence level (standard rate plus housing costs). Anyone receiving Bürgergeld is not entitled to Wohngeld. Wohngeld is particularly worthwhile for households whose income is sufficient for living expenses but not for the full rent. More on this in our detailed comparison.

No. Wohngeld is paid from the month of application — not retroactively for previous months. Submit your application as early as possible. If processing takes longer, you will receive the Wohngeld for all months since application as a back payment.

No, Wohngeld is a subsidy and generally does not have to be repaid. Repayment is only required if you provided false information or failed to report changes and therefore received too much Wohngeld.

Wohngeld is typically granted for an approval period of 15 months. After that, you must submit a renewal application to continue receiving Wohngeld. Within the approval period, you must report certain changes (e.g. income increase of more than 15%) to the Wohngeld office.

The word Wohngeld combines the German words Wohnen (housing) and Geld (money) and literally means "money for housing". It refers to a government subsidy towards housing costs that does not have to be repaid. Detailed explanation: What is Wohngeld?

Düsseldorf is classified as Rent Level IV. This is good news: the higher the rent level, the higher the rent amounts recognised in the Wohngeld calculation. In Düsseldorf, you can therefore receive Wohngeld even with a comparatively high rent. More on this on our page about Rent Levels.

Yes. Wohngeld is explicitly intended for employed persons whose income is insufficient for housing costs. The key factor is that your total income is below the income limit for your household size. Many employees, especially those working part-time or with low income, are entitled to Wohngeld.

Income for Wohngeld purposes generally includes all earnings of household members: salary (after deduction of taxes and social security contributions), pensions, unemployment benefit I, sick pay, maintenance payments, rental income and capital gains. Child benefit, child supplement, Bürgergeld and basic income support are not counted. Various allowances are deducted from your income before the calculation.

Students who are in principle eligible for BAföG are excluded from Wohngeld — even if they do not receive BAföG. However, there are exceptions: if you have exceeded the BAföG age limit, reached the maximum funding period, have a child in the household or your spouse is not eligible for BAföG, you may still receive Wohngeld. More on our page Wohngeld for Students.

Yes, pensioners can receive Wohngeld — provided they do not receive basic income support in old age. Many pensioners are entitled to Wohngeld without knowing it. Due to the 2026 Wohngeld increase, the income limits have risen, meaning more pensioners are now eligible. More on our page Wohngeld for Pensioners.

No, child benefit is not counted as income in the Wohngeld calculation. It remains fully exempt. The same applies to the child supplement. This means you receive child benefit in addition to Wohngeld.

There is no single income limit that applies to everyone. It depends on household size, rent and the rent level (Mietstufe). In Düsseldorf (Mietstufe IV), the maximum income ranges from about €1,400 (1 person) to about €4,900 (8 people), depending on household size. All income limits at a glance

The amount of Wohngeld is calculated individually and depends on your household size, income and rent. For a 1-person household in Düsseldorf with €1,000 income and €400 rent, Wohngeld is approximately €250–285 per month. For a family of four with €2,200 income and €740 rent, it is around €360. Exact amounts can be found in our Wohngeld Table.

Wohngeld is calculated using a statutory formula (§ 19 WoGG). The formula takes three factors into account: the eligible rent (up to the maximum amount), the total income as defined by the Wohngeldgesetz and the household size. The calculation is complex — the Wohngeld office carries it out automatically. You can roughly estimate your entitlement using the example calculations on our Wohngeld Calculator page.

The 2026 Wohngeld increase brings several improvements: Wohngeld amounts have been increased by an average of 15%, income limits have been raised (approx. 30% more households are now eligible), maximum rent amounts have been increased and a permanent climate component has been introduced. The approval period has been extended from 12 to 15 months. All details on our Wohngeld Increase 2026 page.

For the Wohngeld calculation, only the portion of your rent that falls within the maximum amount according to Rent Level IV is taken into account. In Düsseldorf, this is e.g. €456 for a single person. If you pay €500 rent, only €456 is used for the calculation. The remaining €44 must be borne by you and is not subsidised.

Düsseldorf belongs to Mietstufe IV. The matching Wohngeld table with all amounts for 1 to 8 household members can be found on our overview page. To the Wohngeld table for Düsseldorf

The responsible office is the Wohngeldstelle Düsseldorf at Brinckmannstraße 5, 40225 Düsseldorf (Wohngeld Department — 64/3). You can submit the application online, by post or in person. Opening hours are Monday to Thursday 08:00–16:00, Thursday until 18:00 and Friday 08:00–13:00. More on the Wohngeld Office Düsseldorf page.

The most important documents are: identity card or passport, proof of income for the last 12 months (pay slips, pension statements), tenancy agreement, landlord certificate and proof of rent payments for the last three months. A complete checklist can be found on our Required Documents page.

For complete applications, processing can take several weeks. The duration depends on the completeness of your documents and the workload of the Wohngeld office. You will receive Wohngeld retroactively from the month of application — even if the decision notice is issued later. Incomplete applications extend processing time.

Yes, Düsseldorf offers the option of online application. You can fill in the application digitally and upload your documents as a scan or photo. This saves time and postage. A detailed guide can be found on the Apply for Wohngeld Online page.

You can appeal a rejection notice in writing within one month. State the reasons for your appeal and attach any additional supporting documents. If the appeal is also rejected, you can file a lawsuit with the social court. In social court proceedings, no court costs are generally incurred. More on the After the Application page.

Wohngeld is granted for 15 months. Before the end of this period, you must submit a renewal application. Start preparing about two months before the end of the approval period. All documents must be resubmitted in their current version. More on the Renew Wohngeld page.

You must report all changes that may affect Wohngeld: income increases of more than 15%, changes in household composition (moving in, moving out, birth), changes in rent, relocation, marriage or divorce, as well as the start or end of other social benefits. Notification must be made immediately. Full list on the Change Notification page.

A move — even within Düsseldorf — must be reported to the Wohngeld office. When moving within Düsseldorf, Rent Level IV remains the same, but the new rent amount may change the Wohngeld. When moving to another city, the rent level changes, which may increase or decrease the Wohngeld. In addition, the Wohngeld office of the new city becomes responsible. More on the Wohngeld When Moving page.

Yes, simultaneous receipt of Wohngeld and child supplement (Kinderzuschlag) is possible. The child supplement is not counted as income for Wohngeld purposes. It is advisable to first apply for the child supplement — this is often easier and faster to obtain. Wohngeld can then be received as a supplement. Does an inheritance reduce my Wohngeld entitlement? An inheritance reduces the Wohngeld entitlement if it leads to ongoing income — e.g. rental income from inherited property or interest income from inherited capital. This income counts as earnings. The pure asset value of an inheritance, however, is not counted as income. However, substantial assets may mean you must cover your living expenses from the assets and have no entitlement to Wohngeld.