The switch from Bürgergeld to Grundsicherung requires no new registration from recipients, but a close look at their own decision. Since 1 July 2026 the benefit under SGB II is called Grundsicherungsgeld in the statute. The Federal Employment Agency states that decisions issued so far remain valid in substance.
At the same time new rules on assets, housing costs, breaches of duty and appointments have applied since that date. This guide sorts out what you should check as a recipient and what has not been officially confirmed. A comparison of the legal positions is in Bürgergeld or the new Grundsicherung (in German), the overview in the hub on the new Grundsicherung (in German).
In short: Since 1 July 2026 Bürgergeld is called Grundsicherungsgeld in the statute. Decisions issued so far remain valid in substance according to the Federal Employment Agency (last updated November 2026). The agency names no blanket duty to file a new application. Check assets, housing costs and duties under the new rules anyway.
Key points
- The changes apply since 1 July 2026, the legal basis is the 13th SGB II Amendment Act of 16 April 2026.
- Decisions issued so far remain valid in substance. New applications and renewals follow the new law.
- According to the Federal Ministry of Labour, authorities have six months to adapt terms in procedures, applications and forms. For beneficiaries nothing changes as a result.
- For missed appointments before 1 July 2026 the old rules apply (section 65a(2) SGB II).
- You still report changes in your circumstances to the Jobcenter without delay.
What is Bürgergeld called now?
Since 1 July 2026 the statute uses the term Grundsicherungsgeld, while the press speaks of the new Grundsicherung. The same benefit is meant: the subsistence benefit for employable beneficiaries under the Second Book of the Social Code. In its explanations of 5 March 2026 the Federal Ministry of Labour states that authorities have six months to adapt terms in IT procedures, applications and forms. Your letters may therefore still say Bürgergeld for a while. For beneficiaries the renaming changes nothing.
Do I have to do anything as a recipient now?
The Federal Employment Agency names no general duty to file a new application at the switch. Its application page says that the changes apply from 1 July 2026 and decisions issued so far remain valid in substance. Whether and when the Jobcenter decides anew in your case, for example at renewal or when your circumstances change, follows from your decision and from your Jobcenter’s letters. An express official statement that all existing recipients will be re-assessed on their own initiative has not been confirmed.
That does not mean the new rules have no consequences for you. They take effect as soon as a new set of facts has to be assessed, that is with a new application, a renewal, a move or a missed appointment.
What should you check in your decision and situation?
| Point | What is new | What you check |
|---|---|---|
| Assets | Age-based allowances of 5,000 to 20,000 euros, no grace period for assets (section 12(2) SGB II) | Balance of your accounts and investments at the time of the application or renewal |
| Housing costs | Grace period stays, ceiling at one and a half times the appropriate costs (section 22(1) SGB II) | Rent, service charges and heating compared with the local limit |
| Breach of duty | Reduction by 30 percent of the standard need (section 31a SGB II) | Notice of legal consequences and hearing letter in the decision |
| Appointments | From the second missed appointment 30 percent for one month, after three in a row the entitlement lapses | Appointments you were invited to and your own evidence if prevented |
| Taking a job | Placement priority under section 3a SGB II | Reasonableness and reporting of income |
The details are in the guides Asset allowance under Grundsicherung, Grace period in Grundsicherung, Housing costs under Grundsicherung, When the 30 percent cut applies and Missed Jobcenter appointment (all in German).
What does this look like for assets in practice?
Assumption: A 26-year-old recipient has 6,500 euros in a savings account at the time of her renewal application (last updated November 2026, simplified calculation).
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Savings account on the application day | 6,500 euros |
| Allowance up to age 30 (section 12(2) SGB II) | 5,000 euros |
| Assets to be counted | 1,500 euros |
Under section 12(3) SGB II the cut-off date is the application for approval or renewed approval. Assets you acquire only later are valued at the time of acquisition. If you stay below the allowance at renewal, you are not affected, if you are above it, you must use the excess. So plan before the next application and, if in doubt, ask the Jobcenter.
What applies to the standard rate?
Standard-need level 1 is currently 563 euros a month. The federal government names this amount in connection with the BAföG reform as the current Grundsicherung level (BMFTR, August 2026). The switch from Bürgergeld to Grundsicherung changed nothing about it. How high the standard rate will be from 1 January 2027 is open: a draft law in the legislative process regulates only the method of updating, not the amounts. The current position is in Standard rate 2027 (in German).
Which reporting duties remain?
The duty to cooperate under section 60 SGB I (in German) continues unchanged: you report changes in your circumstances that matter for the benefit to the Jobcenter. These include new income, a move, a changed household or new assets. Keep reports in writing and keep proof. The online account of the Federal Employment Agency, which is also used for applications, makes it easier to transmit evidence, as the agency describes on its application page. The documents for a new application are listed in Applying for Grundsicherung (in German).
What do you do if the decision is wrong?
If a decision is wrong, for example because income, rent or assets were entered incorrectly, you can object within one month of notification. The procedure and the special features for cuts are described in Objecting to a Jobcenter decision (in German).
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to register with the Jobcenter again?
The Federal Employment Agency names no general duty for this. Decisions issued so far remain valid in substance. Note letters from your Jobcenter and the notes in your decision.
Will I automatically get a new decision?
Whether and when existing recipients are re-assessed is not generally confirmed officially. What counts is what the Jobcenter tells you, for example at renewal.
Do the new rules also apply to ongoing cases?
For new facts from 1 July 2026 the new law applies. For missed appointments, the old rules apply to defaults before that day (section 65a(2) SGB II).
Are students affected?
For students whose course is eligible for BAföG in principle, the general exclusion in section 7(5) SGB II still applies. More in New Grundsicherung for students (in German).
What to do now
- Read your current decision and note the date, type of benefit and approval period.
- Find out when your next renewal is due and put together assets, rent and income for it.
- Compare your assets with the allowance for your age and your rent with the local limit.
- Report changes to the Jobcenter in writing and attend all appointments.
- For questions about financial planning, support is available at how we work (in German).
Related guides
- New Grundsicherung since July 2026: what young adults need to know (in German)
- Bürgergeld or the new Grundsicherung: the differences (in German)
- Asset allowance under Grundsicherung: what changed since July 2026 (in German)
- Applying for Grundsicherung: which documents the Jobcenter needs (in German)
- Objecting to a Jobcenter decision: deadlines and procedure (in German)
Sources: Applying for Grundsicherungsgeld, Federal Employment Agency (in German, last updated November 2026); Questions and answers on the reform of Grundsicherung, Federal Ministry of Labour (in German, 5 March 2026); Technical guidance on section 32 SGB II from July 2026, Federal Employment Agency (in German, last updated November 2026); Section 12 SGB II, gesetze-im-internet.de (in German, last updated November 2026); BMFTR on the BAföG cabinet decision (in German, August 2026); Amendment record, 13th SGB II Amendment Act, Federal Law Gazette 2026 I No. 107 (in German, last updated November 2026).
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
