€563/month + rent if everything goes wrong — Bürgergeld decoded
Bürgergeld (the former ALG 2) is Germany's last-resort safety net. €563/month for a single adult in 2026, full rent covered, household support scaled by age. For non-EU residents it has strict eligibility rules — here is the complete 2026 picture.
€563 a month plus full rent, if everything goes wrong
Bürgergeld is Germany's baseline — the floor below which nobody falls. €563/month for a single adult in 2026, rent paid in full within municipal limits, heating covered. Eligibility for non-EU residents has one big catch.
Bürgergeld Regelsatz, single adult 2026
€563/mo
The Regelsatz covers food, clothes, transport, utilities (except heating), a small entertainment allowance, and a €39/month savings buffer. Rent, heating, and health insurance are all paid SEPARATELY on top of this €563. A single adult in Berlin with €600 cold rent + €120 heating effectively receives €1,283/month in total support.
Wondering whether Bürgergeld or a working-family mix leaves you better off? The Benefits Optimizer models Grundsicherung versus working and shows which path keeps more euros in your pocket.
2026 Regelsatz by household member
€563
Single adult
Regelbedarfsstufe 1
€506
Adult partner
Each partner in a couple (RBS 2)
€451
Adult child 18–24 at home
Regelbedarfsstufe 3
€471
Child 14–17
Regelbedarfsstufe 4
€390
Child 6–13
Regelbedarfsstufe 5
€357
Child 0–5
Regelbedarfsstufe 6
Rent (Kosten der Unterkunft)
Rent is covered in addition to the Regelsatz, but "in full" has a ceiling. Each municipality publishes an Angemessenheitsgrenze — an upper rent limit based on city, household size, and local market averages.
| Provider | City | Single, cold rent cap | Family of 4 cap |
|---|---|---|---|
Berlin | ~€550/mo | ~€1,050/mo | |
Munich Best Highest caps, still often below market | ~€760/mo | ~€1,450/mo | |
Hamburg | ~€570/mo | ~€1,100/mo | |
Leipzig | ~€400/mo | ~€800/mo | |
Frankfurt am Main | ~€620/mo | ~€1,200/mo |
- City
- ~€550/mo
- Single, cold rent cap
- ~€1,050/mo
- Family of 4 cap
Highest caps, still often below market
- City
- ~€760/mo
- Single, cold rent cap
- ~€1,450/mo
- Family of 4 cap
- City
- ~€570/mo
- Single, cold rent cap
- ~€1,100/mo
- Family of 4 cap
- City
- ~€400/mo
- Single, cold rent cap
- ~€800/mo
- Family of 4 cap
- City
- ~€620/mo
- Single, cold rent cap
- ~€1,200/mo
- Family of 4 cap
Heating (Heizkosten) is separate and paid 100% as long as consumption is "reasonable" (no heating a pool). This matters in winter: a €180/month gas bill is simply added to your Bürgergeld payout.
If your rent is above the cap, the Jobcenter gives you 6 months to either negotiate the rent down, move somewhere cheaper, or cover the difference yourself. This is called the Kostensenkungsaufforderung. Starting July 2026, the cap is formally fixed at 150% of the municipal average.
Asset exemption — the Karenzzeit window
€40,000
Karenzzeit cap, main applicant
First 12 months
+€15,000
Per extra household member
Karenzzeit
€15,000
After Karenzzeit, per person
Month 13 onward
Protected assets even after Karenzzeit: Riester pensions, Rürup pensions, a reasonable car (up to ~€15,000 value), household items, and a reasonable owner-occupied home.
The non-EU visa catch
This is the single most important point for Blue Card and §19c readers.
Bürgergeld for non-EU residents usually requires a Niederlassungserlaubnis (permanent residence) OR a durable EU-family-reunification status. Claiming Bürgergeld on a time-limited Blue Card can affect a renewal, because the Aufenthaltsgesetz §5 requires "secure livelihood" for most permit extensions. The ALG 1 safety net does not trigger this rule because ALG 1 is an insurance payout, not public welfare — but Bürgergeld is welfare.
| Provider | Status | Bürgergeld eligible? | Visa impact |
|---|---|---|---|
Niederlassungserlaubnis Best | Yes, fully | None — permanent | |
EU-Daueraufenthalt | Yes, fully | None | |
Blue Card (time-limited) Consult a lawyer before claiming on a Blue Card | Yes in law, but public-funds rule kicks in | Can block renewal | |
§19c skilled worker | Yes in law, same caveat | Can block renewal | |
Family reunification | Depends on the sponsor's rights | Complex — see lawyer | |
Student visa | Typically no | Immediate visa risk |
- Status
- Yes, fully
- Bürgergeld eligible?
- None — permanent
- Visa impact
- Status
- Yes, fully
- Bürgergeld eligible?
- None
- Visa impact
Consult a lawyer before claiming on a Blue Card
- Status
- Yes in law, but public-funds rule kicks in
- Bürgergeld eligible?
- Can block renewal
- Visa impact
- Status
- Yes in law, same caveat
- Bürgergeld eligible?
- Can block renewal
- Visa impact
- Status
- Depends on the sponsor's rights
- Bürgergeld eligible?
- Complex — see lawyer
- Visa impact
- Status
- Typically no
- Bürgergeld eligible?
- Immediate visa risk
- Visa impact
ALG 1 vs Bürgergeld — the two safety nets
| Provider | Aspect | ALG 1 | Bürgergeld |
|---|---|---|---|
Type | Insurance payout | Tax-funded welfare | |
Amount | 60–67% of last net salary | €563/mo flat + rent | |
Duration | 6–24 months | Unlimited while eligible | |
Asset test | None | Above €40k (y1) / €15k (after) | |
Household test | None | Everyone in household counts | |
Non-EU visa impact | None — you paid in | Major — public funds rule | |
EU portability | Portable 3 months within EU | Not portable |
- Aspect
- Insurance payout
- ALG 1
- Tax-funded welfare
- Bürgergeld
- Aspect
- 60–67% of last net salary
- ALG 1
- €563/mo flat + rent
- Bürgergeld
- Aspect
- 6–24 months
- ALG 1
- Unlimited while eligible
- Bürgergeld
- Aspect
- None
- ALG 1
- Above €40k (y1) / €15k (after)
- Bürgergeld
- Aspect
- None
- ALG 1
- Everyone in household counts
- Bürgergeld
- Aspect
- None — you paid in
- ALG 1
- Major — public funds rule
- Bürgergeld
- Aspect
- Portable 3 months within EU
- ALG 1
- Not portable
- Bürgergeld
Who gets Bürgergeld in practice
- Niederlassungserlaubnis holderAfter 5+ years in Germany
- German spouses, kidsIn mixed-status households
- Adults unable to workErwerbsminderung less than 3h/day route to Grundsicherung instead
- Single parentsWith German or settled children
- Post-ALG 1 long-term unemployedAfter benefits run out, with settled status
Timeline — from zero income to first payment
Realise ALG 1 is about to end
Month -3 of ALG 1Start the Bürgergeld paperwork 2–3 months before ALG 1 expires. The Jobcenter takes time to process the Antrag.
Book an appointment at the Jobcenter
1–3 weeksOnline at jobcenter.digital or at the local office. Bring passport, residence permit, rental contract, last bank statements, and proof of Niederlassungserlaubnis if you have it.
Fill Hauptantrag + annexes
2–4 hoursThe main form plus Anlage KDU (rent), Anlage VM (assets), and Anlage EK (income) for each household member.
First Bescheid — decision letter
2–6 weeksIncludes the monthly amount, what is covered (rent, heating), and the next review date.
Monthly payment + Jobcenter support
RecurringMoney arrives end of month. The Jobcenter offers retraining, language courses, and job-matching — participation is required.
Mistakes that cost you money
Do this
- Apply as soon as ALG 1 ends — do not wait, retroactive Bürgergeld is not generous
- Bring every asset statement — hidden accounts get found, and the resulting Rückforderung is debt
- Show up to every Jobcenter appointment — missed meetings can cut 10–30% of benefit temporarily
- Consult a lawyer BEFORE claiming if you are on a time-limited permit — one hour costs €100, saves your visa
Avoid this
- Do not under-report income from side gigs — the Jobcenter cross-checks with Finanzamt data
- Do not assume Riester or a reasonable car must be liquidated — they are protected
- Do not stay in a home above the rent cap past month 6 without an appeal
- Do not leave Germany for more than 3 weeks/year while claiming
Wohngeld — the lighter alternative
If your income is low but not zero (you work part-time), you may fit Wohngeld (housing benefit) instead of Bürgergeld. Wohngeld is specifically rent-support, does not trigger the public-funds rule in the same way, and is often a better option for working Blue Card holders whose income dropped temporarily.
You are covered if everything collapses
Bottom line. Even in the worst case — ALG 1 exhausted, no savings, rent due — Germany does not let you starve or become homeless. Bürgergeld pays €563/month plus your rent plus heating plus health insurance. The catch for South Asian newcomers on Blue Card or §19c is the public-funds rule: use it freely once you hold a Niederlassungserlaubnis (after 21–33 months as a Blue Card holder with B1 German), and consult a lawyer before claiming on a time-limited permit.
Related posts
- ALG 1: 60% of your salary, the first safety net
- Krankengeld: 78 weeks of sick pay
- Mutterschaftsgeld: 14 weeks full pay
- Crisis scenarios page — what to do when everything goes wrong
Sources: Arbeitsagentur — Bürgergeld, SGB II (gesetze-im-internet.de), Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales Regelbedarfsstufen 2026.
Last updated: 2026-04-23