Applying for support for re-entry into working life
You can claim benefits for participation in working life if you have health problems that prevent you from exercising your profession. You can
- receive measures or aids that enable you to resume or continue to practice your profession, or
- Benefits to change your profession
avail of it.
The support you receive depends on your case. It is important that the measure helps you to be able to practice your profession or another one.
You can receive the following support for the exercise of your profession:
- Motor Vehicle Assistance
You will receive subsidies for the purchase of a car and/or for the accessibility of your car:- When you buy a car, you will receive a subsidy of up to EUR 9,500.
- Costs for the handicapped accessible conversion of an existing car are fully covered.
- Assumption of costs for travel to and from an educational measure
- Assumption of costs for work assistance
Pension insurance covers the costs of a person who supports you in carrying out your job. The costs will be covered for a maximum of 3 years. If you have further needs after that, the Integration Office will finance the work assistance.
- Assumption of costs for medical aids
Includes:- Costs that you need to carry out your profession and/or to get to your workplace
- Costs of participating in an action that contributes to occupational participation
- Costs for technical tools such as screen readers or software
If you are no longer able to practise your profession, you can receive support for taking up activities:
- Start-up grant
If you want to start a business, you will receive a subsidy for this. Your self-employed work must match your clinical picture and secure an income for you.
- Services in a recognised workshop for disabled people (WfbM)
Employment in a WfbM can be considered if the general labour market is closed to you due to the severity of your disability and you can only carry out an appropriate job within the protected framework of a WfbM.
- Benefits for professional adaptation, retraining, training, further education or vocational preparation
If you need support in the form of accompanying assistance – such as medical, psychological or social care – this will be taken into account when selecting the facility.
You cannot receive a benefit for participation in working life if you:
- are entitled to a similar benefit from another rehabilitation institution, such as accident insurance, due to an accident at work, an occupational disease or an injury caused by third parties.
- are a civil servant, soldier, judge. Please contact your local integration office to find out from whom you can receive benefits.
- are already receiving or have applied for an old-age pension of at least two-thirds of the full pension.
- have permanently retired from working life and receive, for example, a company pension benefit until the start of retirement.
- are in pre-trial detention or in the execution of a custodial sentence.
Process flow
You can submit your application online, in person or in writing.
Online application:
- On the website of the German Pension Insurance (DRV) under "Online Services" you will find detailed information on the procedure.
- If you follow the link "Submit application", you will be guided through the next steps and can select the desired application.
- Alternatively, you can use the online services with registration. For example, you can immediately see which insurance periods have already been recorded. It also saves you time and eliminates the need to re-enter data you already know.
- Fill out the application completely and upload the required documents.
- Submit your application online.
- You will receive a confirmation of sending.
- The responsible pension insurance institution will review your application.
- You will receive a notification of your application.
Personal request:
- Prepare the necessary documents for your application and make an appointment with the DRV.
- When making an appointment online, your personal data and, if possible, your insurance number will be required.
- You can select a desired counselling centre and your desired date. Depending on the availability of free appointments, you will receive a proposal for a binding consultation appointment.
- In your personal interview, your application will be recorded electronically and forwarded online to the responsible pension insurance institution.
- The responsible pension insurance institution will review your application.
- You will receive a notification of your application.
Written application:
- Go to the DRV website.
- Download the desired application form.
- You can also pick up the form in person at the information and counselling centres.
- Fill out the application form, sign it, and attach the required documents.
- Send all documents
- by post to your pension insurance institution or
- hand them in at one of the local counselling centres.
- The responsible pension insurance institution will review your application.
- You will receive a notification of your application.
Your application can also be submitted on your behalf by a person you trust. To do this, please submit a power of attorney to the pension insurance company. As long as the power of attorney is valid, the pension insurance will only apply to the person authorized by you.
If you give your consent to electronic communications, all correspondence may take place online. You can either use the electronic mailbox under the online services with registration or De-Mail.
Requirements
You can receive benefits for participation in working life from the pension insurance if you:
- have been insured in the statutory pension insurance scheme for at least 15 years (so-called "waiting period of 15 years") or
- receive a pension for reduced earning capacity, or
- receive a large widow's or widower's pension due to reduced earning capacity, or
- without these benefits, a pension for reduced earning capacity would have to be paid by the pension insurance scheme, or
- have immediately received a medical rehabilitation benefit from the pension insurance that alone is not sufficient for the desired rehabilitation success.
Which documents are required?
- Application for Participation Benefits for Insured Persons – Application for Rehabilitation
- You should ask your pension insurance provider in advance whether your pension insurance provider requires a report or a medical report.
What are the fees?
There is no cost to you.
What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?
You do not have to observe any deadlines and can apply for rehabilitation at any time.
Processing duration
It takes up to 1 month to process.
Applications / forms
Forms available: Yes
Written form required: Yes
Informal application possible: No
Personal appearance required: No
Online services available: Yes
Appeal
- Contradiction. Detailed information can be found in the notification of your rehabilitation application.
- Appeal to the Social Court. Detailed information can be found in the notice of objection.
Technically approved by
Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS)
Professionally released on
04.10.2022
Author
The text was automatically translated based on the German content.
