Housing benefit

Housing benefit helps tenants as well as owners of owner-occupied homes or flats whose income is not sufficient to cover the costs of housing.
This social security for housing is provided through the payment of a housing benefit.

• Rent subsidy if you are a tenant or subtenant of a flat
• The subsidy for encumbrances if you are the owner of your own home or condominium.

Housing benefit is granted from the month in which the application is received by the housing benefit office. Whether and how much housing benefit you receive depends on the number of household members, the total household income and the amount of rent or charges.

In principle, recipients of the following transfer benefits are not entitled to housing benefit:

• Citizen's allowance and social allowance as well as subsidy for trainees according to the Second Book of the German Social Code

• Transitional allowance and injury benefit in the amount of the citizen's allowance in accordance with the Sixth Book of the German Social Code or the Seventh Book of the German Social Code

• Assistance with living expenses or basic income support in old age and in the event of reduced earning capacity in accordance with the Twelfth Book of the German Social Code

• Supplementary assistance for living expenses in accordance with the Federal Pension Act

• Benefits in special cases and basic benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act

• Child and youth welfare benefits in accordance with Book Eight of the German Social Code, if all persons belonging to the household are recipients of this benefit.

Housing Benefit Plus Act 2023

The central contact point for applying for housing benefits is located in the Beckum town hall (Weststraße 46, Alleestraße entrance) in room 56 on the ground floor. The way to the contact point is signposted. Please direct telephone enquiries to the application office on 02521 29-5036. The office is only staffed during service hours.

Entitlements from the date of receipt
Due to the expected high number of new housing benefit applications, longer processing times must be expected. Of course, no entitlements will be lost as a result, as housing benefit is calculated retrospectively from the date of application.

Calculate your needs and apply online
The state of North Rhine-Westphalia offers a housing benefit calculator at www.wohngeldrechner.nrw.de so that you can check your potential entitlement to housing benefit in advance. This housing benefit calculator can then be used to submit an online housing benefit application, which will be processed by the Social Services Department of the town of Beckum once it has been received. If you are still unable to upload the necessary supporting documents, you are requested to submit them by post, in the letterbox at the town hall in Beckum or Neubeckum or in person at Beckum town hall, Weststraße 46, Alleestraße entrance, room 56, on the ground floor.

In addition, fillable application forms with input aids are available.

General information on the new Housing Benefit Plus Act can be found on the website of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia or the Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Building.

Information on the processing status:
Please refrain from making telephone or written enquiries about the status of the processing procedure so as not to jeopardise the prompt processing of applications. If it is necessary for you to visit the responsible case handler in person, please make an appointment in advance to avoid waiting times.