
The Citizen's Income is Coming!
The implementation of the citizen's income is a comprehensive reform of basic benefits for jobseekers. With the further development of the basic benefit, an adjustment to the developments of the labor market as well as the living conditions of the people takes place.
The aim of the citizen's income is to focus more strongly on permanent integration into work and on improving labor market opportunities through qualification and vocational training.

Beneficiaries should be able to concentrate fully on finding a job at the beginning of receiving the citizen's income, which is why there are waiting periods for housing and assets in the first year. Assets are only to be taken into account from a sum of 40,000 euros for the person entitled to benefits and 15,000 euros for each additional person living in this community of need.
The accommodation costs are recognized in the actual amount during the waiting period, with the exception of heating costs, which can only be covered in an appropriate amount.
From 01.07.2023 also changes:
- Those who want to do an apprenticeship or retraining will be supported more intensively. This includes, among other things, that, if necessary, a vocational qualification can also be made up in 3 instead of 2 years. An additional monthly training allowance of 150 euros has been agreed for participation in training courses leading to a vocational qualification. Continuing education bonuses for passing intermediate and final examinations have been made permanent in the law. But participation in continuing education courses that do not aim to lead to a vocational qualification and last longer than 8 weeks is also to be supported - with the citizen's allowance bonus of 75 euros a month.
- The cooperation plan provides a common thread and transparency in the integration process. In this plan, the jointly developed strategy is recorded in clear and understandable language, thus enabling better cooperation. If necessary, a local mediation procedure can mediate in the creation or updating of the cooperation plan.
The legislative process is concluded with publication in the Federal Law Gazette.
If you are currently receiving Arbeitslosengeld II or Sozialgeld, you will also receive Bürgergeld. You do not need to submit a new application for this.
Note on applications, notices and letters from us.
The applications, notices and letters from jenarbeit will probably be adapted step by step. For this purpose, the legislator has granted an implementation period until 30.06.2023. It may happen that you receive documents after the introduction of the citizen's income that do not yet contain any reference to this. It is also possible that the terms "Arbeitslosengeld II" and "Sozialgeld" will continue to be used initially. Do not let this unsettle you: you will gradually receive applications, notices and letters that have been converted to the citizen's income.
If you have any questions, please visit the website of the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and contact us using the contact form. Of course, personal visits or telephone contact are also available to you.