Benefits Under
the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act

Asylum seekers in need of assistance may receive benefits, particularly if they hold one of the following residence certificates:

• Residence permit under the Asylum Act,
• Residence permit pursuant to Section 23(1), Section 24, or Section 25(4), first sentence, or (5) of the Residence Act (provided that the decision to suspend their deportation was made less than 18 months ago),
• Tolerated Status under Section 60a of the Residence Act

The basic benefits under Sections 3 and 3a of the AsylbLG include, in particular:

• Benefits to Ensure a Livelihood
• Housing and Heating
• Benefits in Case of Illness, Pregnancy, and Childbirth
• Services for Special Needs on a Case-by-Case Basis

Additional benefits for education and participation are provided for children and adolescents.

After generally 36 months of residence in Germany from the date of entry, an individual may, under certain conditions, become eligible for benefits under § 2 of the AsylbLG. The amount and structure of these benefits are based on social assistance under Book XII of the Social Code (SGB XII).

One of the requirements for granting the benefit is that there be no abuse of the law. The competent authority will examine ex officio whether this condition is met.

The amount of benefits is based on the applicable standard needs. The actual amount paid may vary depending on the type of housing and individual circumstances.

If you live in the Fulda district and would like to apply for benefits under the AsylbLG, please send us an informal written notice stating your current address. Please include a copy of your certificate of residence. Once we receive your letter, you will be sent the application forms. If necessary, we may request additional documents to review your eligibility.

Individuals eligible for benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act receive benefits to cover their basic living expenses. The amount of the benefits depends, in particular, on whether they are granted under Section 3 of the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act or under Section 2 of the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act. These benefits are intended, in particular, to cover the costs of food, clothing, personal hygiene, and other personal needs of daily life.

The Education and Participation Package includes:

• the costs of field trips organized by the school or daycare center,
• the costs of school field trips lasting several days (in accordance with school regulations) or recreational trips lasting several days organized by the daycare center (up to 600.00 euros for domestic trips, up to 900.00 euros for international trips),
• the provision of school supplies in the form of lump-sum payments, which are transferred on August 1 (currently: 130.00 euros) and February 1 (currently: 65.00 euros) of each year,
• School transportation costs (available starting in 11th grade or the introductory phase of the G8 curriculum, if the nearest school is more than 3 km from the student’s place of residence and there is no primary provider of services),
• the costs of academic support (these are subject to certain conditions; please speak with your case worker about this),
• the cost of lunch at school and at the daycare center,
• Coverage of costs associated with participation in social and cultural life (up to a flat monthly rate of 15.00 euros for children and adolescents ages 0–17, e.g., for club activities, music lessons, or summer camps).