Apply for municipal integration services
If you receive citizen's allowance, you can claim so-called municipal integration benefits. These are designed to help you get back to work.
Your local job center can support you with
- Debt counseling,
- psychosocial support or
- addiction counseling.
Debt counseling will help you to sort out your financial situation and pay off your debts in order to improve the conditions for your professional reintegration.
Psychosocial support is available if you need help with mental health problems or crisis situations so that you can return to work.
Addiction counseling offers you support regardless of the type or severity of your addiction. You will be advised about
- Risks of addiction,
- addictive substances or
- addiction.
You can also be assisted in finding further help.
If you are unable to work due to caring for relatives, the Jobcenter can support you, for example with
- caring for relatives at home, or
- the care of
- underage children or
- children with disabilities
If you are looking after children or caring for relatives at home, your Jobcenter can organize support from a third party so that you can pursue gainful employment.
Please note that you must apply to the Jobcenter for benefits before the costs of childcare or home care for relatives are incurred. It is not possible to apply retrospectively.
Please note that you have no legal entitlement to municipal integration benefits. Your local Jobcenter will decide whether and to what extent you will receive support.
If you want to apply for municipal integration services in person:
- Arrange a consultation appointment with your contact person at the Jobcenter
- Discuss whether municipal integration benefits are possible and what support services can be offered to you.
- If municipal integration services are possible, your contact person will discuss the next steps with you.
- The contact person will provide you with the relevant documents.
- If necessary, complete the documents. Attach the necessary evidence or receipts and send the documents back to your responsible Jobcenter.
- The eligible costs will be transferred to the account you have specified.
- You must receive a citizen's allowance.
- You need either
- debt counseling,
- psychosocial counseling or
- addiction counseling
- or demonstrable support with
- the care of underage children,
- children with disabilities or
- for the care of relatives at home.
- You need this municipal benefit in order to be able to work again.
If necessary, you must provide evidence.
You can only claim the benefits once you have received a decision confirming that the costs will be covered.
You can lodge an objection to the decision within one month.
Forms available: Yes
Written form required: No
Informal application possible: Yes
Personal appearance required: No
There are no indications or special features.
Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs - Municipal integration services
- Informationen zur Beratung, Vermittlung und Eingliederungsleistungen auf der Seite des Bundesministeriums für Arbeit und Soziales (BMAS)
- Informationen zu Kommunalen Eingliederungsleistungen auf der Sozialplattform des Ministeriums für Arbeit, Gesundheit und Soziales des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen und des Bundesministeriums für Arbeit und Soziales (BMAS)