The heating subsidy is intended to relieve some people of the rising energy prices. Who is eligible and when does the money end up in the account?
Frankfurt – Energy costs are rising – this hits people with lower incomes especially hard. In order to relieve them, the federal government has introduced a heating cost subsidy. A total of 2.1 million people in Germany benefit from this. But who is eligible for the grant? And when is the money in the account?
After an energy flat rate was introduced as a reaction to the rise in energy and fuel prices caused by the Ukraine conflict, a heating cost subsidy is now to follow. While the energy flat rate of 300 euros is paid to all employees who are subject to income tax (tax brackets 1 to 5), the self-employed and mini-jobbers, only certain groups are entitled to the heating cost subsidy.
Energy prices are exploding: How high is the heating cost subsidy in 2022?
According to a first draft from spring, single people should get 135 euros and a two-person household 175 euros – for each additional family member there should be 35 euros. Because, according to the federal government, energy costs have increased enormously since the first calculation in November 2021, the coalition factions in the Bundestag decided to double the amount of the heating cost subsidy. The original 190 million euros is now a pot of 380 million euros.
| Housing benefit recipient (single) | 270 Euro |
| Recipients of housing benefit (two-person household) | 350 Euro |
| + each additional person | 70 Euro |
| BAföG recipients | 230 Euro |
| Apprentices with support | 230 Euro |
–
Housing allowance and BAföG recipients, trainees with training allowance or training money who no longer live with their parents, as well as those with promotion support with maintenance allowance and disabled people should receive the heating cost subsidy. Doubling the amount means in detail: Students who receive BAföG and trainees who receive appropriate funding receive 230 euros, recipients of housing benefit 270 euros, or 350 euros for two people – for each additional person there is 70 euros.
Rising energy costs: When will the heating cost subsidy be paid out?
You do not have to apply for the heating subsidy. When the money comes depends on the respective federal state – there is no common date. According to information from the French news agency AFPthe federal states of Bremen, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony want the subsidy in July 2022 pay off; Berlin, Schleswig-Holstein and Hesse im August and Hamburg, the Saarland and Saxony in September 2022. In Baden-Württemberg, the money should end October be there and Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia keep the time open. An overview of the payment data for the heating subsidy:
- Payout in July 2022: Bremen, Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony
- Payout in August 2022: Berlin, Schleswig-Holstein and Hesse
- Payout in September 2022: Hamburg, Saarland and Saxony
- Payout in October 2022: Baden-Wuerttemberg
In order to protect the environment and the account and to make oneself more independent of Russia during the Ukraine war, energy saving is announced. Robert Habeck therefore calls for using less energy. (Lea-Sophie Mollus)
–
