How Jobcenter Support Is Calculated – From Need to Amount

The one question on the mind of anyone applying to the Jobcenter is how much will I receive? The answer does not come from a single table, because the calculation has two sides: the components of need are added together, and then income is subtracted after the allowances have been taken off it.

A note on the new name: from 1 July 2026 the benefit is called Grundsicherungsgeld, replacing Bürgergeld. It is the same benefit under a new name. Existing forms and online services stay usable, and decisions issued before that date remain valid. Many people — and at times the offices themselves — still use the old word, which is why both names appear side by side in this article.

This page explains the equation and its parts, and gives you the official sources for the figures — because the figures change each year while the logic does not.

The first side: what "need" is made of

• Regelbedarf — a flat monthly amount covering living costs: food, clothing, personal care, household items, energy and personal needs
• Bedarf für Unterkunft und Heizung — accommodation, heating and service charges, to the extent regarded as appropriate
• Mehrbedarf — an addition in particular circumstances, such as single parenthood or pregnancy
• Einmalbedarfe — one-off needs
• And alongside these, support for education and participation for children

The second side: how income is deducted

Anything that reaches your hand as money counts as income: wages, unemployment benefit, child benefit, rental income, a pension. But it is not the gross figure that is subtracted: the Jobcenter first takes off the allowances and expenses the law permits, and only the remainder is set against the total need. That is why someone who works does not lose everything they earn — part of it stays with them on top of the benefit. Setting out that income in detail is precisely what the Anlage EK form is for.

The forgotten third side: the Bedarfsgemeinschaft

The calculation is not made for an individual but for a Bedarfsgemeinschaft — those living together in one household in a defined way. Their needs are added, their income and assets are added, and the result is distributed. This is why one household member's income affects the amount paid to the others, which takes many people by surprise.

Assets and their limits

Assets (Vermögen) are also examined: savings, securities, vehicles, property and anything that can be turned into money. Each person has an exempt allowance that varies with age, and the Federal Employment Agency states the following on its official page:

The allowances as officially stated

• Under 30: €5,000
• Ages 31 to 40: €10,000
• Ages 41 to 50: €12,500
• Age 51 and above: €20,000
• These are the figures the official page carries today and they are subject to change — check them before building a decision on them

Why a calculator alone should not be trusted

Any calculator — ours or anyone else's — gives an estimate built on what you fed into it. The decision, by contrast, is issued by the Jobcenter after examining your papers in full, and those contain what no calculator captures: whether the rent is appropriate in your town, the nature of your income, and the composition of the household. Use a calculator to see whether applying is worthwhile, not to learn your exact amount.

The official form and the responsible office

The figures and the rules from their source, not at second hand:

• The components of need – official page
• Conditions, income and assets – official page
• Anlage EK, the income annex – official PDF
• The Hauptantrag – official PDF

Common mistakes that delay a case

• Counting the bare rent without the service charges and the heating
• Leaving out one household member's income because it is "small"
• Relying on a calculator figure and then objecting to the decision on that basis
• Omitting assets in the belief that they will not be asked about
• Not reporting a change of income or address the moment it happens

Frequently asked questions

Do I lose the whole benefit if I work?
No. The allowances the law permits are taken off your income first, and only the remainder is subtracted. Working generally leaves you with more in hand, even though the benefit falls.

Who counts as part of the Bedarfsgemeinschaft?
Those living together in the way the law defines. In complicated situations the assessment belongs to the Jobcenter, and that is where the question should be put.

Does Kindergeld count as income?
The official page includes child benefit among the income examined. How it is applied in your case is determined by the responsible office.

What is the difference between this and Wohngeld?
Someone receiving Grundsicherungsgeld already has housing costs covered within it, so the two are alternatives rather than complements. Wohngeld may suit someone whose income from work falls short of the rent alone.

Please note: Amounts, allowances and rules are set by the official bodies and change annually. What binds is the Jobcenter's decision in your own case; a calculator is an estimate, not a promise.

Watch the video

The video is on the OK+ channel on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5DwWhYWCVg

Also on OK+

• The main Grundsicherungsgeld application
• Anlage EK, the income annex
• The Wohngeld application

A tool that shortens the road

The OK Plus DE app gathers German administrative calculators and form templates in one place, free, ad-free, in seven languages. Android and iPhone, from the same page:
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