Social assistance benefits for different life situations

People who cannot or cannot sufficiently ensure their livelihood from their own resources and means are entitled to assistance with living expenses or basic security in old age or in the event of reduced earning capacity.

A special need is given in the case of illness, disability or special social difficulties for which the legislator has provided social assistance benefits if other social benefit providers do not have to provide benefits as a priority (e.g. health insurance, German pension insurance, etc.). These benefits are also paid to people who are still able to support themselves but are dependent on social welfare benefits due to a special need situation. The decisive factor is whether they can reasonably be expected to finance the benefits from their income and assets.

The legislator has provided for the following benefits in the Social Code XII (SGB XII) in addition to assistance with living expenses and basic security in old age or in the event of reduced earning capacity:

1. Health assistance
2. Integration assistance for people with disabilities
3. Care assistance
4. Assistance to overcome particular social difficulties
5. Assistance in other life situations (e.g. assistance in maintaining the household, assistance for the elderly, assumption of funeral costs)

The services in sections 1, 3 (only for people over 65 years of age) and 4 and 5 are provided by the responsible local social welfare office.

The Landeswohlfahrtsverband Hessen, as the supra-local social welfare agency, is mainly responsible for integration assistance for disabled people and for care assistance (only for people under 65 years of age). In addition, the Landeswohlfahrtsverband Hessen is responsible for the provision of assistance for the blind in accordance with Section 72 SGB XII.

The services of integration assistance for disabled people under the material responsibility of the Landeswohlfahrtsverband Hessen primarily include

• Assisted living
• Accompanied living in host families
• Inpatient living in a residential home
• Services in semi-stationary facilities such as recognized workshops for people with disabilities
• Services for children and young people with physical or mental disabilities in foster families
• Assistance with school education for children with special educational needs
• Medical rehabilitation services in recognized rehabilitation facilities
• Services for participation in life in the community

Please contact the social welfare office responsible for you or the department of the Landeswohlfahrtsverband Hessen by telephone regarding the documents you need to bring with you. You will find a telephone number if you enter your place of residence in the location search.

Benefits can be approved at the earliest when the need becomes known to a social welfare office or the Hesse State Welfare Association. The respective examination of the individual case determines the exact time of approval.