Grundsicherung under SGB XII can apply if you live in Germany, cannot cover necessary living costs from income and assets, and either have reached the statutory retirement age or are permanently fully disabled for work. The local Sozialamt checks the final entitlement.

The 2026 standard needs remain unchanged from 2024 and 2025: EUR 563 for single adults and EUR 506 for each partner in a couple. The actual total need can be higher because reasonable housing costs, heating, health insurance and additional needs are added.

Bürgergeld under SGB II is for people who can generally work. Grundsicherung under SGB XII is for people at retirement age or permanently fully disabled adults. The monthly standard rates are similar, but the authority, eligibility path and income rules differ.

The calculator adds the rent and heating costs you enter, but the Sozialamt decides whether housing costs are locally reasonable. Local caps differ by city and district. If you enter warm rent, make sure heating costs are not counted twice.

Statutory pension, occupational pension, private pension, earned income and other income generally reduce the entitlement. The calculator includes important allowances, especially for Grundrente qualifying periods, additional retirement income and earned income.

The calculator uses EUR 10,000 per adult, so EUR 10,000 for a single person and EUR 20,000 for a couple. Assets above the protected amount can block entitlement, but not every asset is automatically usable; details are reviewed by the Sozialamt.

The calculator supports additional needs for disability mobility marks such as G or aG, decentralized hot water and medically recognized expensive diet. These additional needs can materially change the estimate.

For Grundsicherung in old age and disability, children or parents are generally only relevant for maintenance if their annual total income is above EUR 100,000. A spouse or partner living in the same household is treated differently and can be included in the means test.