Communicate significant changes for housing assistance such as number of household members, rent, load, or income.

Procedure

You can communicate changes via the online service or in writing.

Online

• The online service guides you step by step through the application process.
• The authority will check whether your notification affects the amount of your housing benefit and will send you a notification if necessary.

In writing

• You send your notification of change informally by post or e-mail to the housing benefit office responsible for you. You can find the contact details under "Responsible authorities".
• The authority will check whether your notification affects the amount of your housing benefit and will send you a notification if necessary.

Legal bases

• § 27 Absatz 3 Wohngeldgesetz (WoGG)

More information

There are the following indications:

If your financial situation or living circumstances have improved or changed, this may also result in a reduction of your housing allowance. You are required to notify the housing allowance authority immediately of any changes that may lead to a reduction in housing allowance. In order to prevent or detect the unlawful claiming of housing allowance, the housing allowance authority regularly checks the household members by comparing their data.

In order to avoid or detect the illegal use of housing allowance, the housing allowance authority may regularly check the household members by means of a data comparison - also in automated form - in particular with the data office of the pension insurance.

For example, it may compare

• whether Bürgergeld (formerly Arbeitslosengeld II) is being paid during the period in which the housing allowance is being received,
• whether employment subject to compulsory insurance or marginal employment exists,
• or the amount of investment income for which an exemption order has been issued.

It is also possible to compare the registration addresses, housing status and dates of change of address with the registration office. It is also possible to call up accounts at the Federal Central Tax Office. Suspected cases of fraud are always reported to the public prosecutor's office.

Through these checks, the housing allowance authority can determine, for example,

• whether housing benefit is being received more than once,
• whether transfer payments leading to exclusion from housing benefit are being received at the same time,
• whether the information provided in the housing benefit application is correct
  
  • income from gainful employment,
  • income from one or more pensions,
  • income from capital gains (interest or dividends),
• whether, in the case of original unemployment, the payment of unemployment benefits has been discontinued (for example, due to taking up a new gainful activity), and
• whether the original dwelling for which housing benefit was paid is still actually being used.

The review is permitted up to the expiry of ten years after notification of the associated housing allowance.