Einstiegsgeld beantragen

If you receive Citizen's Allowance and you want to become self-employed or take up employment subject to social insurance contributions, you can receive an introductory allowance under certain conditions.

The introductory allowance is intended to provide you with a financial incentive if your income is initially little or no higher than your previous basic income support benefits.

The introductory allowance is granted to you as a non-recognizable subsidy.

The amount of the grant can be determined by each job center on the basis of the statutory criteria and amounts to a maximum of 50% of the standard rate of the basic income support. When calculating the amount, the duration of your unemployment and the size of your benefit community are taken into account. The amount of the introductory allowance therefore varies depending on the individual case.

Your Jobcenter can also make a flat-rate assessment for special groups of people. This makes it easier to make the same decisions in similar cases and applies in particular to

• The long-term unemployed,
• single parents,
• migrants,
• older people,
• people with health impairments,
• Women in partner benefit communities.

You can receive an introductory allowance for a maximum of 24 months.

Your Jobcenter alone decides whether and how much you can receive. This means that you have no legal entitlement to it.

Note: A combination with other subsidy programs (e.g. loans) is possible.

For self-employment/start-up:

• Application for funding
• Curriculum vitae, including any necessary proof of qualifications
• Meaningful description of the business start-up project to explain the business idea (business concept/business plan)
• Capital requirement and financing plan
• Turnover and profitability forecast (expected turnover and costs) for the next 3 years
• If applicable, statement from an external third party or an expert body on the viability of your company
  • Expert bodies are: Chambers, trade associations, credit institutions, start-up initiatives
• Proof that you are self-employed, for example through your business registration, notification to the tax office or confirmation of the change from a secondary trade to a main trade
• If necessary, further proof, for example of your
  • accident insurance or
  • business liability insurance or
  • entry in the register of craftsmen

For employment subject to social security contributions:

• Application for funding

• Copy of your employment contract

additionally for trades requiring a license:

• corresponding permit:

Note: You must submit an application for permission to exercise the respective trade before registering the trade.

additionally for skilled trades:

• Confirmation of entry in the register of craftsmen or in the register of owners of a business of a craft not requiring a license or a trade similar to a craft

when taking up gainful employment:

• Copy of the employment contract

• You will receive a citizen's allowance before starting your new job. Unemployment is not a prerequisite.
• You must submit the application to your Jobcenter before actually taking up employment.
• Your new self-employment or your new job is suitable for overcoming your need for assistance in the long term.
• The introductory allowance is necessary for your integration into the general labor market.
• You must work at least 15 hours per week.
• Additional requirements for self-employment/starting up a business:
• Positive assessment by the Jobcenter of
  • your personal suitability,
• the economic viability of your self-employed activity

In addition, the following conditions must be met:

• Successful integration into working life cannot be ensured in any other way.
• The level of remuneration and the type of activity must not contravene the law or offend common decency.

for business start-ups:

• viable business concept
• Self-employed activity is of a full-time nature

Note: Start-up allowance is an individual grant for the founder. If you are planning to set up a team rather than a sole proprietorship, you and/or your partner(s) can apply individually for start-up money or other personal support.

Funding is generally excluded for

• you are already in full-time employment,
• you have reached the age of 65 (from the beginning of the following month, the entitlement to a start-up allowance expires).

The application is free of charge for you.

However, further costs may arise in connection with setting up a business, for example for

• Registration of a trade,
• permits,
• expert opinion,
• entry in
  • register of craftsmen or
  • List of owners of a business in a craft that does not require a license or a trade similar to a craft.

To receive the introductory allowance, you should first arrange a consultation at your local Jobcenter:

• Contact the relevant job center and arrange an appointment.
• In the case of employment subject to social insurance contributions, you can also apply for an introductory allowance online.
• The integration specialist will record your data and check whether you meet the eligibility requirements.
• The advisor will make a discretionary decision on this basis.
• You will receive a notification by post or online with the approval or rejection of your application.
• If your application is approved, the Jobcenter will transfer the amount to your account monthly in advance.

• You can submit your application in person, in writing, by telephone or by e-mail.
• The date of application is the date on which you declare your interest in the funding to the responsible office.

You must not have started your gainful employment yet when you apply for an introductory allowance. This applies both to taking up employment subject to social insurance contributions and to self-employment.

Time of application
You must submit the application before concluding the employment contract and before the start of the employment relationship.
The date of application is the date on which you collect the application forms or have them sent to you.

Deadline for submission
There is no deadline for submitting the application form and other documents. However, your application can only be processed once you have submitted all the required documents.

Founding a company

If you want to set up a company, then create a business concept for your project.

• Set the date for the start-up and enter this date when registering your business (for freelancers: date of registration with the tax office).

Note: Your unemployment also ends when you become self-employed.

• Once you have formally set up your business, submit the completed form "Application for start-up allowance for self-employment" and the other documents to the office responsible for you.

Taking up employment subject to social security contributions

If you would like to take up employment subject to social insurance contributions, submit the following documents to the office responsible for you as soon as possible:

• completed form "Application for entry-level allowance to take up employment subject to social insurance contributions" and
• employment contract stating the number of hours per week and the salary.

If your application is rejected, you can lodge an appeal within one month of receiving the rejection notice.

• objection
• Administrative court action

• Initial grant approval
• Support for persons entitled to benefits under SGB II for promotion
  • taking up full-time self-employment or
  • taking up gainful employment subject to social insurance contributions, particularly in the low-wage sector and unskilled labor or in the event of prolonged unemployment
• Eligibility requirements are:
  • the applicant is receiving a citizen's allowance
  • Need for assistance is overcome in the long term.
  • In the case of self-employment:
    • Suitability of the founder
    • Positive forecast about the future viability of self-employment
  • Duration of the activity subject to social insurance contributions or self-employment: at least 15 hours per week
  • Funding is required for integration into the general labor market
• Amount of the introductory allowance
  • takes into account previous duration of unemployment
  • takes into account the size of the benefit community
  • is based on the respective standard needs of the applicant
• Duration of support: maximum 24 months
• Discretionary benefit, no legal entitlement
• Application required
• Responsible: Jobcenter