Apply for one-off benefits in emergency situations
If you have little or no income or assets at your disposal, you can apply for citizen's allowance for one-off benefits in special situations. It does not matter whether you have been receiving money from the job centre so far or not. Situations in which you may be entitled to one-off benefits are, for example, if
- You are expecting a child and therefore need new equipment and clothing.
- You need furniture or household appliances for the first time or have to buy new ones after a divorce.
- You need orthopaedic shoes or need to have them repaired.
- You need to have therapeutic devices or equipment repaired.
In these and other cases, you can apply for either a cash or non-cash benefit (vouchers) from the Job Centre.
Please contact your regional Job Centre before submitting an application. In many cases, the job centre uses its own application form, sometimes an informal application with a justification is sufficient. The amount of one-off benefits may vary from region to region.
Details
Prerequisite
If you are able to work and are currently unable to cover your living expenses and are unlikely to be able to do so in the next 6 months, you can apply for citizen's allowance for one-off benefits in cash or in kind (voucher). The one-off benefit must also be necessary. The benefit must then be used exclusively for what you have applied for, i.e. for
- the initial furnishing of your home,
- initial equipment for clothing and initial equipment for pregnancy and birth,
- the purchase and repair of orthopaedic shoes,
- the repair of therapeutic appliances and equipment and the hire of therapeutic equipment.
Procedure
For one-off benefits, contact your local job centre by phone, email or in person. They will provide you with further information and an application form if you need one. Alternatively, you can also apply for benefits online using the digital application for citizen's allowance.
- Complete the application form or write a reasoned, informal application, depending on the requirements of your local job centre.
- Send the application to the job centre. You must provide evidence of your need. Enclose the necessary documents requested by the job centre that prove your need and are required for the assessment.
- The job centre will check your application. Evidence from third parties (e.g. your landlord) may be required to check whether you need one-off benefits. Ultimately, the authority will make a decision on a case-by-case basis. You will then receive a decision from the job centre. There are three possible decisions:
- the application is approved,
- the application is partially approved,
- the application is rejected.
- The job centre pays you the approved amount or sends you the benefit in kind (voucher).
Deadlines
Make the application before you make the purchase, as one-off benefits are only paid if the need is not yet covered.
Required documents
- Identity card or passport
- Proof of income
- if applicable:
- Proof of assets
- Tenancy agreement, proof of rent payments or house charges
- Maternity pass or medical certificate of the date of delivery
- Prescription
- Cost estimates
Please contact the Job Centre responsible for you to find out which documents you need to submit for your case.
Costs
none
Processing time
It may take several weeks to process your application.
Miscellaneous
The one-off benefits are provided under the responsibility of the local authorities (independent cities and districts). The amount of benefits can therefore vary from region to region.
Legal basis
Sozialgesetzbuch (SGB) Zweites Buch (II) - Bürgergeld, Grundsicherung für Arbeitsuchende:
- § 24 Abweichende Erbringung von Leistungen
Verordnung zur Zulassung von kommunalen Trägern als Träger der Grundsicherung für Arbeitsuchende
Release note
Machine generated, based on the German release by: Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales (BMAS), 01.12.2025