Germany replaces Bürgergeld with stricter Grundsicherung rules

Grundsicherung Bürgergeld asset limit full-time work requirement benefit reduction

From 1 July 2026 Germany ends the Bürgergeld scheme and introduces Grundsicherungsgeld under the amended Second Book of the Social Code (SGB II). The 13th amendment, passed by the Bundestag on 5 March 2026 and published in the Federal Law Gazette in April, restores the principle of Vermittlungsvorrang (placement priority) and sets new conditions for recipients.

Key changes include a €40,000 asset limit for the first person in a need‑share during the first year (Karenzzeit) and the ability of job centres to require claimants to take up a full‑time position when individually reasonable, with exemptions for parents, caregivers and persons with serious illnesses. The Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit) also issued new technical instructions that a breach of duty—such as an unkempt appearance at a job interview—can trigger a 30 % reduction of the personal allowance, amounting to about €507 over three months. The monthly basic allowance (Regelsatz) for a single adult remains €563, unchanged from the previous Bürgergeld rates.

These reforms affect millions of German residents receiving unemployment‑related assistance and introduce tighter asset checks and work‑requirement enforcement.

Entities: Bundesagentur für Arbeit · Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales · Bundestag · German government · Germany · Jobcenter · SGB II

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[○ 1 SOURCE] The monthly Grundsicherung Regelsatz for a single adult remains €563, unchanged from the previous Bürgergeld rates. (supported)
[● 4 SOURCES] The 13th amendment to SGB II was passed by the Bundestag on 5 March 2026 and published in the Federal Law Gazette in April 2026. (supported)
[○ 1 SOURCE] A duty violation, such as presenting oneself unkempt at a job interview, can trigger a 30 % reduction of the personal allowance, amounting to about €507 over three months. (supported)
[● 4 SOURCES] Job centres may require Grundsicherung recipients to accept a full‑time job when individually reasonable, with exemptions for parents, caregivers and seriously ill persons. (supported)
[● 2 SOURCES] During the first year (Karenzzeit) an asset ceiling of €40,000 applies to the first eligible person in a need‑share. (supported)
[● 4 SOURCES] From 1 July 2026 Germany replaces Bürgergeld with Grundsicherungsgeld. (supported)