Blind person's allowance; application

In Bavaria, people who are blind or severely visually impaired receive a monthly allowance for the blind to compensate for the additional expenses caused by these disabilities.

Blind and severely visually impaired people receive a blind person's allowance regardless of whether they are in need.

The allowance for the blind is paid monthly in the amount of 85% of the assistance for the blind according to the Social Security Code Twelfth Book - Social Assistance - (SGB XII), i.e. EUR 776 from July 1, 2025. For severely visually impaired people, it amounts to 30 percent of this amount, i.e. EUR 232.80 from July 1, 2025. Deaf-blind people will receive EUR 1,552 from July 1, 2025 and deaf-vision impaired people EUR 465.60 from July 1, 2025.

If the blind or severely visually impaired person is in a home or similar facility and the costs of the stay are covered in whole or in part by funds from public service providers or by funds from private care insurance, the allowance for the blind is reduced by the amount paid from these funds, but by no more than 50%.

Home care benefits from statutory or private long-term care insurance are partially offset against the allowance for the blind. This also applies to benefits paid due to a need for care under other domestic or foreign legislation.
The allowance for the blind is reduced accordingly by 159.62 euros if the entitled person receives benefits (care allowance, benefits in kind or combined benefits) according to care level 2 from statutory or private care insurance. The allowance for the blind is also reduced by a maximum of this amount if the entitled person is granted benefits due to a need for care under other domestic or foreign legislation. The allowance for the blind is reduced by EUR 197.67 if the entitled person receives benefits according to care degree 3, 4 or 5.

If you receive benefits from security and pension systems of other federal states/states or from civil law claims for damages/other claims that are granted to compensate for additional expenses due to visual impairment, blindness or deafness, these are fully offset against the blind person's allowance in accordance with Art. 4 Para. 3 BayBlindG

If the monthly amount payable is less than EUR 20 after the offsetting of benefits for home care or due to the need for care (also in the case of benefits received under other domestic or foreign legal provisions), a monthly allowance of EUR 20 is granted.

The entitlement to blind person's allowance arises on the first day of the month in which the conditions are met, at the earliest on the month of application.

Persons who receive compensation benefits from other pension schemes due to their visual impairment are not entitled to a claim under the BayBlindG.

The blind person's allowance can be applied for informally. It is paid monthly in advance.

• You are blind or severely visually impaired (possibly also deaf).

  • A person is blind if they have no sight at all. Persons are also considered blind

    • whose visual acuity is no more than 1/50 in either eye, even when examined with both eyes, or
    • who have other visual impairments of such severity that they are to be considered equivalent to this impairment of visual acuity. Temporary visual impairments (up to six months) are not taken into account.

  • A person with severe visual impairment is someone who is not blind but

    • whose visual acuity is not more than 1/20 in either eye or both eyes, or
    • who has such severe visual impairments that they require a degree of disability of 100 according to the German Social Code Book IX (SGB IX).

  • Persons with a hearing loss of at least 80% are deaf.

• They have their place of residence or habitual abode in Bavaria.
• Foreign nationals who are resident or ordinarily resident in Bavaria are entitled to a blind person's allowance if they are legally resident in the area covered by the law.
• Blind or severely visually impaired people who are not resident or ordinarily resident in Germany, but who are employed or self-employed in Bavaria ("EU cross-border commuters") or to the extent provided for in Regulation (EC) No. 883/2004, are also entitled to a blind person's allowance.

The application for blindness benefit must be submitted together with the required documents to the regional office of the Bavarian State Authority for Family and Social Affairs in whose area of responsibility you have your place of residence or - alternatively - your habitual residence at the time of application.

If further documents are required, you will be contacted.

Blindness benefit can only be granted if blindness or a severe visual impairment is proven. This determination requires a diagnosis made in accordance with the principles of assessment. The reports from treating ophthalmologists do not usually meet these requirements, as their findings are primarily collected for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. It is therefore possible that you will be summoned to an ophthalmologist's assessment.

You will then receive a formal decision (notification) on your application for blindness benefit.

Entitlement to blindness benefit begins on the first day of the month in which the legal requirements are met, at the earliest on the first day of the month of application.

For severely visually impaired persons, however, an entitlement arises - if a corresponding application has been submitted - at the earliest from January 1, 2018, the date on which the corresponding amendment to the Bavarian Blindness Benefit Act comes into force.

• The following documents should be enclosed:
  • Existing proof of visual impairment (e.g. notification, medical documents)
  • Certificate from the immigration authority, if applicable
  • If applicable, confirmation of benefits from the care insurance
  • If applicable, application for deafblind benefit - additional questionnaire
  • Power of attorney, if applicable
  • Certificate of appointment, if applicable