Citizen's income - Citizen's income is a basic income or basic security for people who are able to work and in need. It replaces the former unemployment benefit II, also known as Hartz IV. The citizen's income has been available in Germany since 01.01.2023.
There is an entitlement to citizen's income:
- In case of need
- in the case of basic earning capacity
- Usually following unemployment benefit I
Need - The need is the amount of money that people need to live. This includes the purchase of clothing and food and everything for daily needs (including electricity). This amount has been calculated and depends on age and family situation. At the job centre, it is also called the "standard requirement"
Needs community - A needs community, also abbreviated to BG, is created when several people from one household apply for benefits (e.g. a family with children under 25, spouses, registered partners or people who are in a committed relationship). At least one person must be able to work. A representative of the joint household can be appointed in writing for certain matters so that not all members of the joint household always have to attend the application. (see also: Joint household)
Notification - If you submit an application for Citizen's Allowance to the Bocholt Job Centre, you will receive a written reply. This is also called a decision. This notice contains, for example, information on how your application was decided. In other words, whether it was approved or not, whether anything has changed or whether you may have received benefits wrongly and have to pay something back.
Data protection - You have to provide a lot of personal data when applying for Citizen's Allowance at the Jobcentre. This is important so that the Jobcenter Bocholt can calculate whether and how much money you are entitled to. However, you can be sure that your data will be handled in accordance with the regulations at the job centre and that it will be specially protected. There are regulations that the Jobcenter Bocholt strictly adheres to.
Income - Income is money that you receive regularly (e.g. salary, interest, housing benefit, alimony, child benefit, vocational training allowance or rental income). However, one-off income, e.g. tax refunds, reimbursement of ancillary costs or income from sales are also included in income and must be declared.
Earning capacity - Earning capacity is the ability of anyone over the age of 15 to work at least 3 hours a day.
Household community - In contrast to the benefit community, the members of the household community (also known as HG) live together but do not belong together. These are, for example, children over 25, foster children, grandparents, uncles and aunts who also live in the household.
Need of assistance - You are considered to be in need of assistance by the Job Centre and can therefore generally apply for citizen's allowance if you do not have enough money to live on or the money you earn is not enough for the whole family. You are also in need of help if you already receive help from other social welfare organisations (e.g. child supplement), but the money is still not enough.
Information - You will always receive information from Jobcenter Bocholt if there are any important changes for you. Therefore, please read all letters carefully and ask if necessary. The details of your contact person can be found at the top right of the letter.
Accommodation costs (KdU) - Jobcenter Bocholt will cover the costs of your accommodation and heating costs, provided they are reasonable. This will be calculated by your responsible case worker, who can also tell you the current upper limits for rent and the size of the flat. Even if you live in your own house or flat, the Job Centre will calculate the costs accordingly.
Additional needs/special additional needs - Sometimes the normal standard needs are not enough if you are in a special situation. It may therefore be possible to apply for additional needs. This is possible if you are pregnant (from the 13th week of pregnancy), have a disability, are dependent on special food or have to buy books prescribed by the school.
There are also special additional needs if the costs of living and special reasons are higher. These include, for example, special hygiene products for special illnesses or travelling expenses for contact with your own child. Glasses and dentures are not considered special needs!
Duty to cooperate - All people who receive citizen's allowance must cooperate with the job centre. This is also known as the duty to co-operate. You must therefore
- always provide correct and complete information
- be able to prove your statements, e.g. by showing documents or certificates
- inform the centre immediately if something changes in your life that is important for receiving benefits. For example, if you have found a job or your rent has increased.
- submit a certificate of incapacity for work to the Job Centre if you are currently on sick leave.
Pupils - As every person over the age of 15 is considered fit for work, young people from this age are also invited to the case management of the Jobcentre Bocholt. The aim of the counselling here is of course to offer pupils the best possible support in their school career, in choosing an apprenticeship or in achieving other professional goals.
Assets - If you submit an application for Citizen's Allowance to the Bocholt Job Centre, you must also declare your assets. This includes, for example, bank account balances, cars, motorbikes, life insurance policies, building society savings contracts, land, houses, condominiums, valuable jewellery or other valuable items.
Priority benefits - Before benefits under the 2nd Social Security Code can be drawn, you must first check whether there are other benefits that must be utilised first, so-called "priority benefits". These are, for example, child benefit, child supplement, housing benefit, maintenance advance, pension, sickness benefit, parental benefit, BafÖg or unemployment benefit I.
Objection - If you receive a letter from the Jobcentre Bocholt with a decision that you do not agree with, you can submit an objection. You must submit the objection in writing and give a reason why you do not agree with the decision of the Jobcentre Bocholt.