Living - After the reform: Much more households will receive housing allowance
In Bavaria, there were significantly more Housing Benefit payments made in the previous year. The number of so-called pure Housing Benefit households, in which all residents are eligible, reached 101,115 at the end of 2023, according to the Bavarian Statistical Office. The background is the Wohngeld-Plus Law that came into effect at the beginning of 2023 and expands the circle of beneficiaries.
In most cases - specifically 95,245 households - there was a rental subsidy. 5,870 households received a supplementary grant for self-used living space.
According to the Statistics Office, the new law also provides for higher grants. This also showed up in the numbers. The average claim for pure Housing Benefit households was €303 per month - an increase of 56% compared to the previous year.
Low-income households can apply for Housing Benefit if they have their own income and can avoid receiving basic income or social assistance through it. The entitlement depends on three factors according to the Statistics Office: the number of household members, the total income, and the rent or burden that is subsidizable.
Within Bavaria, the most Housing Benefit households were found in Upper Bavaria with 24,285, the fewest in the Upper Palatinate with 10,565. However, if we look at the ratios in relation to the number of households determined in the 2022 census, a different picture emerges: Then Upper Bavaria has the lowest percentage of Housing Benefit households with 1.1%, while the highest value is in Upper Franconia with 2.3%. The remaining administrative districts are close together: In Middle and Lower Franconia, it is 1.8%, in Lower Bavaria 1.9%, and in the Upper Palatinate and Swabia 2.0.
In the context of Bavaria's housing policy, the Social Welfare Office noted a surge in Housing Benefit payments, impacting 101,115 households as a result of the Wohngeld-Plus Law. Among these households, the majority, 95,245, received rental subsidies, while 5,870 benefited from supplementary grants for self-used living spaces.
Fürth, located in Bavaria, had a significant number of households relying on Housing Benefit, reflecting the national trend. The specific number of Housing Benefit households in Fürth was not provided in the report.
The implementation of housing policies in Bavaria, such as the Housing Benefit scheme, aims to support living conditions for low-income households, ensuring they can maintain their homes without relying on social assistance.
