Housing
© burdun - Depositphotos.comFor low-income households, it is often worth applying for Wohngeld (housing benefit). For tenants this is paid in the form of a rent subsidy, for owner occupiers in the form of a housing cost payment.
As of January 2023 there will be a significant increase in housing benefit, the federal government has implemented “the largest housing benefit reform in the history of Germany”, higher housing benefit will be granted to more beneficiaries. It is then called “Wohngeld plus”. This means that it can definitely make sense for people on low incomes who have not yet received housing benefit to use the housing benefit calculator to check their entitlement and, if necessary, to submit an application.
Due to the expected increase in applications, a longer processing time must be expected for the time being.
Entitlement to Wohngeld depends on the number of people in your household, your income and the amount of your allowable rent or housing costs. Maximum allowable rent/housing costs are based on the level of local rents. (Münster is classed as rent level 5.) Households in receipt of Bürgergeld or other benefits aimed at helping them find work are not eligible to receive Wohngeld.
Where a child’s parents are divorced or separated, have joint custody of the child and the child lives roughly equally with both parents (ratio of at least one third to two-thirds), the child is considered to be a member of both households for the purpose of Wohngeld entitlement. If parents care for at least two children in less than equal parts, only the youngest of these children is the household member of the parent with the lower caregiving percentage.
Wohngeld will be paid from the month of your application earliest. Because of the long processing times, where possible you should submit amendments and applications to extend the period of entitlement six to eight weeks before expiry of the period of entitlement. Applications should be submitted to the Amt für Wohnungswesen und Quartiersentwicklung (Housing Office).
If you are on a low income and looking for housing, you can obtain a Wohnberechtigungsschein (housing entitlement certificate) for yourself and your child from the Amt für Wohnungswesen (Housing Office). This entitles you to a place in low cost social housing. People on low incomes living together in shared housing are also entitled to social housing.
More information on housing is available on the website of the Amt für Wohnungswesen und Quartiersentwicklung in Münster.
Contact
Amt für Wohnungswesen und Quartiersentwicklung
Bahnhofstraße 8 - 10
48143 Münster
Internet: www.stadt-muenster.de/wohnungsamt/wohngeld.html
E-Mail Wohngeld:
E-Mail WBS:
Telefon Wohngeld: 0251/4926418
Telefon WBS: 0251/4926485
Availability via telephone
Mon - Wen 8 am – noon
Thu 3 pm – 6 pm
Fri 8 am – noon