Assistance to Overcome Specific Social Hardships (Social Assistance)

You must submit a written application to the appropriate agency. The easiest way is to go to the agency with the required documents and fill out the application there during a consultation.

Your local social services office.

The LWV Hessen is responsible, as a supralocal social welfare agency, for services provided in inpatient and semi-inpatient facilities, assisted living arrangements, specialized counseling centers, and day care centers.

According to Sections 67 through 69 of Book XII of the Social Code, anyone who has fallen into particularly difficult living circumstances and is unable to overcome them on their own is entitled to assistance in overcoming special social difficulties. These particularly difficult living circumstances or social difficulties must be clearly distinguishable from general life crises—such as unemployment, illness, relationship problems, and the like—due to their exceptional severity. Examples of difficult living circumstances include:

• An insecure economic livelihood
• No housing or inadequate living conditions
• Living Conditions Marked by Violence
• Release from a secure facility
• Comparable Adverse Living Conditions

• Application for Benefits to Overcome Special Social Hardships Under SGB XII (Social Assistance)
• Valid identification documents or proof of identity
• The scope of the documentation required for the consultation depends on the specific circumstances of each individual case.
• Relevant documentation regarding your specific living circumstances. This may also require proof of income and assets.

• Sections 67 et seq. of Book XII of the Social Code (SGB XII)
• § 1 Hessian Implementation Act for the Twelfth Book of the Social Code (HAG/SGB)
• Regulation on the Implementation of Assistance to Overcome Special Social Difficulties

If you disagree with the agency’s decision, you may file an appeal against it. The appeal must be submitted in writing—either electronically in accordance with Section 36a(2) of Book I of the Social Code or in person for the record—to the agency that issued the administrative decision within one month of being notified of the decision. If the agency considers your objections to be well-founded, your appeal will be granted. This is done by revoking or amending the original decision, or by approving the application you submitted after all. Otherwise, the agency will issue a decision on the appeal.

If your appeal is unsuccessful, you may file a lawsuit with the Social Security Court. The one-month deadline also applies here, starting from the date you received the notice of appeal.