Wohngeld Income Limits – Tables & Values

Current income limits for Wohngeld: tables by household size and rent level. Find out whether your income falls below the limit.

Income Limits for Wohngeld

The income limit is the decisive factor for your Wohngeld entitlement. Only if your assessable income is below the limit applicable to you can you receive Wohngeld. The limits depend on your household size and rent level.

How Are Income Limits Determined?

The income limits are derived from the Wohngeld Act and are regularly adjusted. They take into account: the number of household members, the rent level of your municipality (for Bochum: Mietstufe III), the maximum rent limits by household size, and legally defined percentages for the reasonable rent burden. The limit is reached when Wohngeld mathematically falls to zero euros.

Which Types of Income Are Considered?

The following types of income are included in the calculation of assessable income:

  • 💼 Employment income from dependent work (wages, salary, allowances, Christmas/holiday pay)
  • 🏢 Income from self-employment and business operations
  • 👴 Pensions and retirement benefits (state pension, company pension, civil service pension)
  • 🏥 Unemployment benefit I, sick pay, transitional allowance
  • 👶 Parental allowance (partially), maintenance payments, rental income
  • 🏦 Interest and investment income (above the saver's allowance)

What Is Deducted from Income?

Certain amounts are deducted from total income. These deductions reduce the assessable income and thereby increase your Wohngeld:

  • ✅ Income-related expenses allowance (for employees) or business expenses allowance (for self-employed)
  • ✅ Social insurance flat rates (health, long-term care, pension and unemployment insurance)
  • ✅ Tax allowances (basic allowance, child allowance)
  • ✅ Maintenance allowances for separated or divorced spouses and children
  • ✅ Age allowance for severely disabled persons and persons aged 65 and over

Specific Income Limits

The exact income limits for your individual situation depend on many factors and are calculated by the Wohngeld office. As a rough guide: For a one-person household in Bochum (Mietstufe III) with a net rent of €400, the approximate income limit is around €1,200 to €1,400 monthly gross income. For families with several children, the limits are correspondingly higher. Please use the application service for a reliable calculation.

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