Receive one-off requirements according to § 31 SGB XII

If you have little or no income or assets, you can apply for one-off benefits in special situations.

As a rule, you will receive one-off needs according to § 31 (1) SGB XII if you are currently receiving benefits according to SGB XII (assistance for subsistence or basic security in old age and in the event of reduced earning capacity) or if you are unable to cover the one-off needs from your own resources and resources and receive neither ongoing assistance for subsistence nor ongoing basic security in old age and in the event of reduced earning capacity, but belong to the group of beneficiaries (i.e. are not capable of working or have reached the standard retirement age).

The one-off requirements according to § 31 para. 1 SGB XII include the following:

• Initial equipment for the apartment, including household appliances (e.g. when moving into your own apartment for the first time, after a house fire, when renting for the first time after serving a long prison sentence, when moving out of shared accommodation, when leaving a woman's or men's house, after separation and household contents, etc.)
• Initial equipment for clothing (e.g. after a fire or flood) and initial equipment for pregnancy and childbirth (e.g. first-time equipment (without prams) and maternity clothing), esp. in case of total loss or new need due to extraordinary circumstances (e.g. blatant weight loss) and
• Purchase and repairs of orthopaedic shoes, repairs of therapeutic devices and equipment as well as the rental of therapeutic equipment (e.g. subsidisation of co-payments in accordance with § 61 SGB V if costs are covered by the health insurance company and, under certain circumstances, also if the costs are not covered by the health insurance company)

If you do not live alone, the social welfare office will take into account the entire income of the members of the community in order to determine your need for help. For this purpose, the income of all household members living together in a dwelling can be taken into account (if they work together). These include, for example:

• earned income,
• alimony and
• Pension income.

The child benefit paid for minors, as well as any maintenance payments for a child, are to be attributed to that child in order to cover his or her needs.

Certain assets are considered to be protected assets that are not to be taken into account, for example:

• Smaller cash amounts (financial assets per adult: EUR 5,000, per child: EUR 500) or
• a reasonable house plot.

These are not taken into account when calculating the benefits. With a few exceptions, you will not receive any benefits for past periods.

Please contact your social welfare office.

• Valid identity card or passport, confirmation of registration if applicable
• Proof of a temporary or permanent full reduction in earning capacity
• Proof of income, e.g. for pension, sickness benefit, child benefit, alimony payments or maintenance advances
• Proof of assets, such as bank statements and/or savings
• Lease agreement and subsequent amendments, in particular with regard to the amount of rent
• Proof of expenses, in addition to rent amount and rent payment, especially advance payments and statements for ancillary costs and heating costs, documents on insurance premiums
• Proof of health and long-term care insurance, i.e. information on health insurance and insurance status or contract for private health and long-term care insurance

Note: The scope of the required documents, especially for proof of income and assets, depends on the individual case. Your local social welfare office may require you to provide additional documents, such as current bank statements, divorce decrees, property transfer agreements or maintenance orders.

Forms available: Yes

Written form required: No

Informal application possible: Yes

Personal appearance required: No

• You are in need of help:

• You are in need of help if you are unable to fully cover your one-time needs from your own resources and strength.

• You have reached the age limit or are over 18 years of age and are unable to work because you have a temporary or permanent total disability:

• You are temporarily fully reduced in earning capacity if you are not able to work at least 3 hours a day on a regular basis for the foreseeable future (more than 6 months) under the usual conditions of the general labour market.

• You are under 15 years of age and live together with people who receive social assistance themselves (e.g. with their parents), in a household with their grandparents or in the care of relatives (without benefits from economic youth welfare being granted).
• You are not a student or trainee.
• You will not receive:

• Basic income support for jobseekers (benefits of the Social Security Code II) or
• Benefits for asylum seekers (Asylum Seekers Benefits Act).

• Contradiction
  • If you do not agree with the approval or rejection notice, you can file an objection within one month of notification of the decision. Further information on how to file an objection can be found in the notification.
• Appeal to the Social Court

One-off needs according to § 31 para. 1 SGB XII can be applied for at the Social Welfare Office. They can also be granted without an application if the social assistance institution (e.g. district or independent city) or the bodies commissioned by it learn that a person is in need and that the conditions for granting subsistence assistance are met. If you receive basic income support in old age and in the event of reduced earning capacity, it is mandatory to apply for the one-off needs separately.

You can announce or apply for the need for one-off requirements online via the social platform.

• The decision depends on the income and financial circumstances, for which a corresponding form may also have to be submitted.
• submit all the required documents along with the form.
• The social welfare office will decide on your needs and inform you of the result. This is done by means of a notice, which is usually sent to you by letter.
• If your need has been determined, you will receive a notice of approval, if it is not determined, you will receive a rejection notice.
• In both cases, the decision must contain the reasons for the decision, as well as information on the possibility of appealing against it. For this purpose, an indication of the deadline within which you can lodge an objection must be included.
• The notification of approval must include the amount of the benefit to be paid as well as the date of payment. On the mentioned date, the social welfare office will transfer the money to your account. You can also specify a third party's account for the transfer.

Note for more information on processing time:

• The processing time depends on the individual case. The responsible social welfare office will take care of the processing as soon as possible. You can shorten the processing time if you submit all documents to the Social Welfare Office in full in a timely manner.

Fee free of charge

There are no hints or specifics.