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What does Grundsicherung mean?

Grundsicherung (basic income support) is money to live on if your own income is not enough. The word stands for two different benefits.

die Grundsicherung

The Grundsicherung für Arbeitsuchende is paid by the Jobcenter to people who can work. Since July 2026 the money is called Grundsicherungsgeld, before that Bürgergeld.

The Grundsicherung im Alter und bei Erwerbsminderung is paid by the Sozialamt. It is for people of pension age or people who permanently cannot work.

You can see which benefit is meant from the sender of the letter.

You can usually file a Widerspruch against a Bescheid. The deadline is in the Rechtsbehelfsbelehrung.

Example sentence

Ihr Antrag auf Grundsicherung im Alter und bei Erwerbsminderung wird bewilligt.

Your application for Grundsicherung im Alter und bei Erwerbsminderung is granted.

What you can do

If your pension is very low, ask the Sozialamt or the Rentenversicherung whether you can get Grundsicherung.

  • Bürgergeld Bürgergeld (citizen's income) was the Jobcenter's money for people who can work but lack enough to live on. It had this name until June 2026.
  • Sozialamt The Sozialamt (social welfare office) helps people who do not have enough money to live on. It is for those the Jobcenter does not cover.
  • Jobcenter The Jobcenter pays money to live on to people who can work but do not have enough money. It also helps with finding work.
  • Rentenversicherung The Rentenversicherung (pension insurance) pays pensions, for example in old age or if illness stops you from working.
  • Erwerbsminderungsrente An Erwerbsminderungsrente (disability pension) is for people whose health lets them work only a few hours, or not at all.