With the social protection packages and other regulations, the Bundestag has temporarily changed some aspects in the legal situation for recipients of basic income support for jobseekers ("Hartz IV") to address, for instance, the Covid-19 pandemic and increased prices for energy. Our  overview also shows whether and how Corona emergency assistance for solo self-employed is taken into account on Alg II (unemployment benefit II). 

1. "Social Protection Package" due to the Corona pandemic    
   1.1 Facilitated access to basic income support for job seekers
     - Assets
     - Accommodation and heating costs
     - Provisional decision
     - For the submission of applications
   1.2 Facilitated access to supplementary child allowance (KiZ)   

2. Further changes in laws and regulations due to the Corona pandemic
   2.1 Corona bonuses for employees up to 1,500 euro and/or up to 4,500 euro not taken into account   
   2.2 Restart assistance (Federal Government) for self-employed not taken into account as income
   2.3 Facilitated access to learning support for schoolchildren
   2.4 One-off payment for the month of July 2022
   2.5 Immediate supplement for children as of July 2022
   2.6 No crediting of the energy price flat rate and the child bonus 2022
   2.7 Sanction moratorium

3. Special regulations for the Berlinpass and Berlin-Ticket S

4. Directives of the Federal Employment Agency
   4.1 Alg II while in quarantine?   
   4.2 Consideration of economic assistance for Alg II
   4.3 No sanctions for Corona-related important reasons
   4.4 Placement support for self-employed persons and employees in short-time work who receive Alg II due to the pandemic

5. Applications and information on the Internet
     - About Alg II (unemployment benefit II)I
     - About supplementary child allowance

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Due to the economic consequences of the Corona pandemic, the legislator has decided to temporarily facilitate access to benefits covering subsistence costs under the basic income support for jobseekers according to SGB (Social Code) II ("Hartz IV"). This is intended to enable, for example, small businesses, so-called solo self-employed persons as wells as employees with short-time allowances and other salaried employees who face income losses as a result of the Corona crisis, to obtain quick and unbureaucratic approval of unemployment benefit II (Alg II) from the Job Centers.

Access to the supplementary child allowance (KiZ), which families with low incomes can receive from the Familienkasse (institution responsible for child allowances) in addition to child allowance, has also been facilitated.

Temporarily, benefits from the basic income support for jobseekers and the child allowance are granted in some cases in derogation from the existing regulations.

In addition, sharply increased energy prices as a result of the Ukraine war as well as new regulations in the run-up to the introduction of "citizen's income" and "basic child income support" have led in part to considerable changes in benefit law.

1. "Social Protection Packages" due to the Corona pandemic

The new regulations related to the Covid-19 pandemic are part of the so-called Sozialschutz-Pakete (Social Protection Packages) of the Federal Government which includes the following changes:

1.1 Facilitated access to basic income support for job seekers

For persons whose Alg II appropriation notice starts in the period from 1 March 2020 to 31 Dezember 2022 inclusive, regardless of whether it is an initial or subsequent appropriation, the following applies in accordance with Section 67 SGB II (Social Code) in conjunction with the relevant Verlängerungsverordnung  (extension ordinance).

• Assets: For the first six months of the appropriation, a simplified procedure is applied for the inclusion of assets. As a rule, the verification of assets is limited to a declaration by the applicants that they do not have "substantial" assets. In the case of "substantial" assets, the extent to which the assets are to be taken into account is verified.
  
  According to the current directives of the Federal Employment Agency (see BA-Weisung, (directive of the Federal Employment Agency), no. 1.2), assets are considered "substantial" in accordance with the Housing Benefits Act (WoGG) if they exceed the maximum limits of 60,000 euro for the first and 30,000 euro for each additional member of the community of need (Bedarfsgemeinschaft (BG)). The total sum of the assets is compared to the total sum of the maximum limits of all members of the community of need. The assets to be used only include assets that can be used immediately, i.e. in particular cash and other liquid assets, such as current account deposits, overnight deposits, savings and securities accounts. Assets that are not available in the short term, such as endowment insurance policies, private pension insurance policies or owner-occupied residential property do not constitute "substantial" assets, regardless of their value.

  Further simplifications in asset verification are available according to the internal BA instructions for self-employed persons or formerly self-employed:

  Within the framework of the hardship provision under Section 12 par. 3 sentence 1 No. 6 SGB II (Social Code) assets which exceed the limits of "substantial" should be disregarded "to an appropriate extent" if, according to the declarations of the self-employed or formerly self-employed, they are intended for retirement provision. If "substantial" assets have been saved for retirement provision, we recommend that this should be pointed out when the application is submitted, preferably in writing.
  
  

  In principle, all types of assets should be accepted as retirement provision, unless the assets are obviously not used for retirement provision, e.g. deposits in overnight deposits or accounts from which "regular or repeated" withdrawals are made. A maximum of 8,000 euro per year of self-employment can thus be recognised as retirement provision. Claims already acquired from compulsory insurance policies for retirement insurance for self-employed persons, for example within the framework of a professional pension scheme or the social insurance for artists, reduce this maximum amount. 
  
  Persons who are or have been self-employed only on a sideline basis, the extent to which retirement assets are protected is to be decided on a case-by-case basis.

  In addition, the provision in Section 7 par. 1 Alg II-V (Employment Benefit II Regulation) on the non-consideration of business assets is to be interpreted generously by the Job Centers. This means that for the duration of the pandemic the business assets of self-employed persons will, as a general rule, not be taken into account if they serve the continuation of gainful employment. This applies accordingly to employees and trainees.
  
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• Accommodation and heating costs: During the first six months of the appropriation period, housing costs are recognised at their actual level, even if the apartment is actually too expensive ("unreasonable") from the Job Center's point of view. Exception: If only the "reasonable" housing costs were already covered by the Job Center in an appropriation period before the Corona pandemic, this will continue to apply.
  
  Only after the grace period has expired, the Job Center may ask you to reduce your housing costs to the "reasonable" level within a period of further six months if your actual housing costs are higher than the "reasonable" costs. Benchmark for "reasonable" housing costs are the standard and limit values as well as surcharges and discounts according to the Berlin housing regulations (see detailed information in Chapter 5 section 3 " Needs for housing, heating and hot water" in the guidebook "Unemployment Benefit II in Berlin").
  
  The regulations on the costs for accommodation and heating from the social protection package for Berlin can be found in the circular Rundschreiben Soz Nr. 05/2020 of the Berlin Senate Administration for Integration, Labour and Social Affairs.
  
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• Provisional decision: If a provisional decision is taken on benefits, for example for self-employed persons and persons with fluctuating or insecure income, the duration of the appropriation is now always six months.
  
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For the submission of applications:

It may be the case that you cannot apply for Alg II in person at your local Berlin Job Center, as personal appointments are limited. However, the application can be made informally by telephone, e-mail or letter to the responsible Job Center. A Alg II application form can be submitted online.

The following points should be noted:

-- Proof: Make sure that you have proof that your application has been received by the Job Center! In case of doubt, a simple letter post, e-mail or online application is not sufficient. If you do not receive an acknowledgement of receipt for online applications, ask your Job Center for an acknowledgement of receipt. You have the highest security if you send your application by registered mail.

-- No simplified application forms: In order to facilitate access to basic income benefits, applicants could previously use the form "Simplified Application for Unemployment Benefit II" (VA) and self-employed persons could additionally use the "Simplified Annex for Income from Self-Employment" (Annex KAS). The Federal Employment Agency has announced that, as a rule, the regular forms "Main Application for Unemployment Benefit II" and "Annex for Income from Self-Employment (EKS)" will be used again for applications from 1 April 2022 (see BA-Weisung - directive of the Federal Employment Agency, p. 2 and no. 1.3.2).

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1.2  Facilitated access to supplementary child allowance (KiZ)

The following special regulation applies for the "KiZ” due to the Corona pandemic:

For new and subsequent approvals of KiZ commencing at the Familienkasse (institution responsible for child allowances) between 1 April 2020 to 31 December 2022, the regulations for a simplified asset assessment apply pursuant to Section 20 par. 6 BKGG (Federal Law on Family Allowances) in conjunction with the aforementioned Verlängerungsverordnung  (extension ordinance). Assets are - in deviation from the usual rules - only taken into account if they are "substantial". The maximum amounts apply as for basic income support for jobseekers (see "1.1 Facilitated access to basic income support for jobseekers). It is presumed that there are no substantial assets if applicants declare this in the application.

Please note: Parents only receive the KiZ under certain conditions. You can find out what these conditions are in detail in our guidebook "Unemployment Benefit II in Berlin" in Chapter 15 "The supplementary child allowance - an alternative to Alg II and income support?". ake into account that the maximum possible KiZ will increase from 209 euros to 229 euros per month for each child entitled to a supplementary child allowance as of 1 July 2022 (more on this under item 2.5 in these information leaflet).

You can use the interactive KiZ-Lotse  (KiZ pilot) of Familienkasse to check in advance whether you may get the KiZ based on your personal information and income.

In some cases, the condition that need for assistance according to SGB II (Social Code) is avoided is only fulfilled if housing benefits are also received. You can check your housing benefits entitlement with the housing benefits calculator of the Berlin Senate Department for Urban Development and Housing: https://ssl.stadtentwicklung.berlin.de/wohnen/wohngeld/diwoformular.shtml.

The KiZ can be applied for online or in writing to the Familienkasse responsible for you.

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2. Further changes in laws and regulations due to the Corona pandemic

2.1 Corona bonuses for employees up to 1,500 euro and/or up to 4,500 euro not taken into account

Special allowances which employees have received from their employers in the form of cash or non-cash benefits due to the Corona pandemic (so-called Corona bonuses) will not be taken into account as income in the calculation of Alg II, income support and supplementary child allowance for the period of 1 March 2020 to 31 March 2022 up to a total amount of 1,500 euro. According to the ordinance, the bonuses must be paid in addition to the agreed wage/salary and must be tax-free within the meaning of Section 3 No. 11a Einkommensteuergesetz (Income Tax Act). These can be, for example, cash bonuses or goods vouchers for employees.

Special payments granted by employers to employees - especially to those working in hospitals - in recognition of their special services during the Corona crisis (so-called care bonus) also remain tax-free in the period from 18 November 2021 to 31 December 2022. The bonuses must be tax-exempt according to Sect. 3 No. 11b EStG (income Tax Law) and are only tax-exempt if they do not exceed a total of 4,500 euros in the period mentioned.

The exemption from the income crediting is regulated in Section 1 par. 1 No. 10 Arbeitslosengeld II/Sozialgeld-Verordnung - Unemployment Benefit II/Social Allowance Ordinance. Bonuses that exceed the maximum limits of 1,500 euros and/or 4,500 euro in the above-mentioned periods are treated as income from employment - before crediting to Alg II, an allowance for gainful employment in particular may be deducted if necessary. You can find out more about the tax-free allowance for gainful employment in Chapter 9 of our guidebook "Unemployment Benefit II in Berlin" under section 2 "Income from gainful employment".

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2.2 Restart assistance (Federal Government) for self-employed not taken into account

The "Neustarthilfe" (restart assistance) granted under the federal program "Überbrückungshilfe III" (bridging assistance III) is not to be taken into account as income “ (Section 1 par. 1 No. 14 Alg II-V). The "Neustarthilfe" (restart assistance) is particularly intended for self-employed artists, cultural workers and other solo self-employed persons who have to accept a drop in sales due to the Corona pandemic, and who cannot claim any or only few fixed costs under the "Überbrückungshilfe" (bridging assistance).

According to Section 3 par. 1a Alg II-V, the "Neustarthilfe" (restart assistance) of the Federal Government also does not count as operating income within the meaning of the Alg II/Social Allowance Ordinance. According to the instructions of the Federal Employment Agency (BA-Weisung, directive of the Unemployment Agency, no. 2.4.2 paragraph 3), this also applies to the subsidies with the same content that follow the restart assistance within the bridging assistance of the federal government. This means: Unlike, for example, the "Corona-Soforthilfe" (Corona emergency assistance), the "Überbrückungshilfen" (bridging assistance) and the "November- und Dezemberhilfen" (November and December assistance) (2020) of the Federal Government, the "Neustarthilfe" (restart assistance) may not be offset against operating expenses. The Federal Government's restart assistance is thus available to the beneficiaries in full in addition to the benefits under Social Code II and does not affect the amount of Alg II.

In the meantime, the Federal Government has extended the funding under the "Neustarthilfe" (restart assistance) programme beyond 30 June 2021 until 31 December 2021. Whether the same applies to "Neustarthilfe Plus" (restart assistance plus) as to "Neustarthilfe" (restart assistance) with regard to eligibility for social benefits has not yet been conclusively clarified.

The "Neustarthilfe Berlin" (restart assistance Berlin) is a supplement of the Land Berlin to the Federal Government's "Neustarthilfe"(restart assistance). Legally, it has not yet been clarified whether the "Neustarthilfe Berlin"(restart assistance Berlin), like the Federal Government's "Neustarthilfe" (restart assistance), is not taken into account at all when calculating Alg II and supplementary child allowance or whether the subsidy may be offset against existing operating expenses as income earmarked for a specific purpose - as is the case with the Federal Government's "Überbrückungshilfe" (bridging assistance) (see item 4.2 in this information leaflet).

For information on the consideration of "bridging assistance" and "November and December assistance" from the Federal Government for operating expenses, please refer to number 4.2 in these notes.

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2.3 Facilitated access to learning support for schoolchildren

The restrictions on schooling during the Corona pandemic have hindered many schoolchildren in their learning progress. In many cases, additional learning support (tutoring) is therefore likely to be necessary.

In order to facilitate access to necessary learning support (Sect. 28 par. 5 SGB (Social Code II)), for example, for schoolchildren from families receiving Alg II, social benefit or supplementary child allowance, no separate application to the competent Job Center or district housing office is necessary in the period from 1 July 2021 to 31 December 2023 - in deviation from Sect. 37 par. 1 (2) SGB (Social Code II) - in order to receive benefits for learning support. The application for benefits for necessary learning support is included in the application for Alg II, social benefit or supplementary child allowance during this period (Sect. 71 par. 1 SGB (Social Code) II; Sect. 6b BKGG – Child Benefit Act).

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2.4 One-off payment for the month of July 2022

Persons in the standard needs levels 1 and 2, i.e. single persons, single parents and persons living as partners in a community of need, receive a one-off payment of 200 euros to compensate for additional expenses caused by Corona and additional burdens due to current price increases, if they are entitled to Alg II or social income support for July 2022 (Sect 73 SGB II (Social Code).

The one-off payment does not have to be applied for separately, but is automatically paid out by the office in the case of current approvals.

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2.5 Immediate supplement for children as of July 2022

The monthly immediate supplement for children is related to the planned introduction of the basic child allowance. From July 2022, children entitled to benefits in the standard needs levels 3 to 6, i.e. all underage and unmarried children under 25 years of age who live in their parents' community of need, will receive an immediate supplement of 20 euros per month in addition to Alg II/social assistance. Children in these standard needs levels are also entitled to the supplement if they are only entitled to benefits for education and participation or do not receive Alg II or social benefit solely because their child benefit is taken into account (Sect. 72 SGB II) (Social Code.

The immediate supplement is also taken into account when calculating the child supplement (KiZ), so that the maximum KiZ will increase from 209 euros to 229 euros from July 2022 (Section 6a, para. 2 (4) BKGG - Child Benefit Act).

The immediate supplement does not have to be applied for separately in the case of current approvals, but is provided ex officio. Only families who only become eligible for the KiZ through the immediate supplement must apply for the KiZ.

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2.6 No crediting of the energy price flat rate and the child bonus 2022

In order to cushion particular hardship due to increased energy prices, working people and families will receive tax relief in 2022.

Based on the Tax Relief Act 2022, persons subject to unlimited tax liability who earn income from agriculture and forestry, self-employment or dependent employment in the assessment period 2022 are entitled to a one-time taxable energy price lump sum in the amount of 300 euros. Persons doing federal or youth voluntary service are also among those entitled (Sections 112 et seq. EStG – Income Tax Act).

Entitlement to the flat-rate energy allowance arises on 1 September 2022. This means that, for example, in the case of self-employed persons, the advance tax payments will be reduced in September 2022 or, in the case of persons who are employed on the cut-off date, a 300 euro higher gross salary will be paid in September. Those who are not employed on the cut-off date will only receive the energy price lump sum in the next year via the submission of an income tax return.

The energy-related lump sum payment (Energiepreispauschale) is exempt from social security contributions and is not taken into account as income in the case of income-related social benefits such as Alg II, social benefits or child supplement (Sect. 122 EStG – Income Tax Act).

Families receive a one-off child bonus of 100 euros because of the increased energy prices. The entitlement to the bonus exists for every child for whom there is or was an entitlement to child benefit in 2022. The child bonus is not counted as income towards Alg II/social income support or the child supplement.

The legal basis for the regulation on the child bonus is Sect. 66, para. 1 (2) and (3) EStG – Income Tax Act and Sect. 6, para.3 of the Federal Child Benefit Act. The exemption from income imputation is regulated in the Law on the non-imputation and non-consideration of the child bonus (Gesetz zur Nichtanrechnung und Nichtberücksichtigung des Kinderbonus).

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2.7 Sanction moratorium

In the run-up to the new legislation on sanctions in the basic income support scheme for jobseekers, the Bundestag passed a one-year moratorium on sanctions, starting on 1 July 2022 (Sect. 84 SGB II (Social Code)).

During the period of the moratorium, so-called breaches of duty cannot be sanctioned. Causes for breaches of duty are, for example, the refusal of a beneficiary to take up a reasonable job or to start a Job Center measure, or the termination of a Job Center measure by the participant (Sect. 31 SGB II (Social Code)).

Only those entitled to benefits who, despite having been informed in writing about the legal consequences or being aware of them, refuse to comply with a request by the Job Center to report to the Job Center or the public health officer, may have their benefits reduced by 10% of the relevant standard needs - provided that a failure to report has already been established by the Job Center once in the previous twelve months (repeated failure to report). If this is the case, the amount of the monthly sanction may not exceed 10% of the relevant standard need, even in the case of several repeated failures to report.

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3. Special regulations for the Berlinpass and Berlin-Ticket S

Among other things, the berlinpass gives recipients of basic income support benefits or housing allowance reduced-price access to cultural, educational, sports and leisure activities. With the berlinpass, these people also receive the Berlin-Ticket S at 27.50 euro per month for travel on public transport within Berlin (fare zone AB).

As the Bürgerämter (citizens' offices) that issue the Berlin-Pass are currently overwhelmed with work, some transitional regulations apply until 31 December 2022. You can find the current special regulations on the internet pages https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/121742/ and www.berlin.de/sen/soziales/soziale-sicherung/berlinpass. 

By 31 December 2022, the Berlin-Pass in its current form will be most likely discontinued. Starting 1 January 2023, there will be probably a new proof of entitlement, which entitles the holder to purchase the Berlin-Ticket-S, the so-called Berechtigungsnachweis (proof of eligibility). This proof of eligibility is then to be sent automatically to those entitled to benefits by the benefits office (e.g. Job Center) when the benefit is approved. Further information can be found e.g. in the Dienstleistungsdatenbank (service database).

Please note: The special regulations do not apply to the berlinpass-BuT. The berlinpass-BuT for children, adolescents and young adults who receive benefits within the framework of the Bildungs- und Teilhabepaket (education and participation package) will continue to be extended or reissued by the responsible benefits office.

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4. Directives of the Federal Employment Agency

The Federal Employment Agency (BA) has issued internal regulations for Alg II recipients in directives related to the Corona pandemic, which concern the implementation of legal provisions in practice. The directives reflect the BA's legal opinion on individual legal norms and are binding for the employees of the BA and the Job Centers, which are operated as joint facilities by the municipalities and the local employment agency. BA regulations in connection with the pandemic include, among others:

4.1 Alg II while in quarantine?

Persons who are in a quarantine, usually a domestic quarantine, ordered by the district health authorities because of illness or suspected illness with the COVID-19 pathogen, continue to receive benefits from the basic income support for job seekers (see BA-Weisung (directive of the Federal Employment Agency) no. 2.12.1). In these cases there is basically no exclusion of benefits according to Section 7 par. 4 SGB II (Social Code), since neither a stay in an "inpatient facility" nor a stay in a "facility for the execution of judicially ordered deprivation of liberty (detention)" exists.

If it is not possible for these persons to submit requested documents or other evidence, decisions can also be taken provisionally by the Job Centers (see BA-Weisung (directive of the Federal Employment Agency) no. 2.7, paragraph 5).

Beneficiaries who do not adhere to the isolation measures ordered by the authorities can be forcibly accommodated in a closed part of a hospital or in another closed facility by court order in accordance with the Infection Protection Act. "Such a judicially ordered quarantine measure constitutes a benefit exclusion according to Section 7 paragraph 4 sentence 2 SGB II (Social Code)"  (see BA-Weisung (directive of the Federal Employment Agency) no 2.12.2). The exclusion from benefits then applies from the first day of accommodation.

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4.2 Consideration of economic assistance for Alg II

The Federal Government and the federal states provide economic assistance to smaller companies, solo self-employed and freelancers to cushion financial impacts of Corona pandemic. In principle, the assistance is provided as non-repayable subsidies. The extent to which these are then taken into account in the calculation of Alg II depends in particular on the purpose of the financial assistance.

According to the directives of the Federal Employment Agency (see BA-Weisung (directive of the Federal Employment Agency) no. 2.4), the "Corona Soforthilfe"  (Corona emergency assistance), which was paid by the Federal Government in March 2020 and the subsequent "Überbrückungshilfe I,II, III und III Plus " (bridging assistance I,II III, III plus and IV) of the Federal Government are so-called earmarked revenues.

The prerequisite for this is that this subsidy is provided on the basis of a public law provision for a purpose other than Alg II (Section 11a par. 3 sentence 1 SGB II (Social Code)). This is the case with the Federal Government's Corona Emergency assistance and the bridging assistances: As a general rule, the subsidies are intended to cover the anticipated operating expenses for a defined period - expressly but not the applicants' living costs or accommodation costs. If it later turns out that the material and financial expenses of the operation or the actual loss of revenue was lower after all and the subsidies were not needed to cover the operating expenses to the extent predicted, applicants are obliged to repay the overpaid amounts.

As earmarked revenue, economic assistance is only taken into account by Job Centers as operating revenue to the extent that they serve to cover operating expenses. Specifically, the economic assistance is compared to the operating expenses from the months for which the assistance is granted.

[Note: These directives leave many questions unanswered. They also assume that earmarked income always reduces operating expenses in full. This seems questionable to us. After all, some operating expenses were not eligible at all in Corona emergency assistance programmes granted at the beginning of the pandemic (spring/summer 2020), for example, most capital expenditures. In our opinion, the crediting of earmarked income should therefore be limited to those parts of the operating expenses for which the subsidy was granted. Whether notices that are incorrect in this respect can still be contested with a chance of success must be verified in each individual case].

According to the directive, the following procedure should be followed:

First of all, the operating expenses are to be covered by the Corona assistance. This results in two possibilities:

-- Corona assistance covers or exceeds actual operating expenses: In this case, the part of the Corona assistance that exceeds the operating expenses is not counted as income. However, any additional income from the business that is no longer needed to cover operating expenses will be counted as income, minus exemption and deduction amounts.

-- Corona assistance is less than the actual operating expenses: In this case, only the operating expenses exceeding the Corona assistance are deducted from existing operating income. In the profit calculated from this, exemptions and deductions according to SGB II (Social Code) must also be taken into account.

The same procedure is to be applied for the “Novemberhilfe” (November assistance) and the “Dezemberhilfe” (December assistance) granted to cushion revenue losses due to the temporary closure of establishments and facilities for November and December 2020 (BA-Weisung (directive of the Federal Employment Agency) no. 2.4.2).

In deviation from the previously described procedure, the Neustarthilfe (restart assistance) along with their identical follow-up programmes under the bridging assistance from the Federal Government (see 2.2 in this leaflet) are not taken into account in the operating income and expenditure.

You can find out which exemption and deduction amounts can be deducted from operating income, as well as further details on the imputation procedure for self-employment, in our guidebook "Unemployment Benefit II in Berlin" in Chapter 9 under section 3 "Income from self-employment".

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4.3 No sanctions for Corona-related important reasons

As a consequence of the sanction moratorium (see number 2.7 of these information leaflet), the instructions issued by the Federal Employment Agency on the occasion of the Corona pandemic were cancelled as of 1 July 2022.

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4.4 Placement support for self-employed persons and employees in short-time work who receive Alg II due to the pandemic

Employees who are on short-time work due to the Corona pandemic and are therefore dependent on Alg II should not be placed in work or provided with placement support until they resume their work. The same applies to self-employed persons who have to restrict their work due to the Corona pandemic and are expected to be able to resume their work after the pandemic-related restrictions have ceased (see BA-Weisung, (directive of the Employment Agency), no. 2.14). [Note: Experience from our counselling practice shows that this directive is not always implemented in this way].

However, these persons may wish to be placed in work themselves. In that case, funding is also possible. For example, self-employed persons who resume their activity and whose self-employment is assessed as viable can receive non-cash subsidies or loans (Section 16c SGB II (Social Code)) from the Job Center.

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5. Applications and information on the Internet

About Alg II (unemployment benefit II)

-- Alg II application and annex EKS
https://www.arbeitsagentur.de/arbeitslos-arbeit-finden/download-center-arbeitslos#1478809808529

(With leaflet and instructions for filling out the Alg II/social assistance application.) 

-- Information on the "Basic income support" for job seekers provided by the Federal Employment Agency
https://www.arbeitsagentur.de/m/corona-grundsicherung

https://www.arbeitsagentur.de/Corona-faq-grundsicherung

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About supplementary child allowance

-- KiZ-Lotse (KiZ pilot)
https://www.arbeitsagentur.de/familie-und-kinder/kiz-lotse
(Here you can use an interactive video to check in advance whether you are potentially entitled to KiZ).

-- Apply for supplementary child allowance online
https://con.arbeitsagentur.de/prod/kiz/ui/einstieg

-- Alternative: The application documents for the KiZ as hardcopy
https://www.arbeitsagentur.de/familie-und-kinder/downloads-kindergeld-kinderzuschlag#1478810749346
(including leaflet and instructions for filling out the KiZ application)

-- Information on the supplementary child allowance (KiZ)
https://www.arbeitsagentur.de/familie-und-kinder/kinderzuschlag-anspruch-hoehe-dauer
https://familienportal.de/familienportal/familienleistungen/kinderzuschlag

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Download the article

-- German (PDF, 278 KB): Ergänzungen zum Ratgeber "Arbeitslosengeld II in Berlin" aufgrund aktueller Sonderregelungen (Stand: 1. Juli 2022)

-- English (PDF, 253 KB): Supplementary information on the guidebook "Unemployment Benefit II in Berlin" due to recent changes (as of 1 July 2022)

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