🧩 Integration assistance: participation benefits at a glance
In brief
Integration assistance (Eingliederungshilfe, SGB IX Part 2) supports people with substantial disabilities in living self-determined lives and participating on an equal footing – for example through assistance in everyday life, in housing, in leisure time, at school or at work. With the Federal Participation Act (BTHG) it was gradually separated from social assistance law and developed into an independent participation law (fully implemented on 1 January 2020).
Unlike social assistance in the narrower sense, with integration assistance you only have to use your income and assets to a limited extent: its own, considerably higher allowances apply than in classic social assistance.
Step by step
- Describe your needSpell out what you need support for (housing, assistance, leisure, work, education) – ideally with the support of an advice centre.
- Apply to the integration assistance providerThe responsible body is usually the supra-local social assistance provider (e.g. regional association, district, rural district – organisation is regulated differently in each federal state).
- Go through the needs assessmentThe provider assesses your individual need using an instrument based on the International Classification of Functioning (ICF) and, where needed, draws up an overall or participation plan (§§ 117–122 SGB IX).
- Have your income and assets checkedThe provider checks how much of your income (allowance of 85, 75 or 60 % of the relevant annual amount, depending on the type of income) and assets (allowance of 150 % of the reference value) you have to use.
Deadlines
- A planned narrower redefinition of the group of people entitled to benefits (§ 99 SGB IX) has been postponed several times – until further notice, §§ 1–3 of the Eingliederungshilfe-Verordnung in the version of 31 December 2019 apply on a transitional basis, not a new, narrower group of people.
- Asset and income allowances are based on the social insurance reference value, which is set anew each year, and therefore change every year – an amount researched for 2026 must be rechecked for later years.
- Integration assistance and care benefits under SGB XI do not exclude each other but often overlap in practice (e.g. in shared housing) – the exact delimitation is governed by § 103 SGB IX and is complex in individual cases.
- Responsibility for integration assistance is organised differently between the federal states (regional associations, districts, rural districts, independent cities) – the best way to find the specific local point of contact is to ask an advice centre.
In depth · legal basis, figures and practice – for advisers and professionals
Legal basis and group of beneficiaries
The basis for entitlement is § 99 in conjunction with §§ 90 ff. SGB IX. The narrower redefinition of the group of beneficiaries provided for in the BTHG has not yet come into force; the Bundesrat rejected a corresponding reform in 2021. Until a statutory regulation is adopted, §§ 1 to 3 of the Eingliederungshilfe-Verordnung in the version in force on 31 December 2019 continue to apply accordingly on a transitional basis (Art. 25a BTHG).
Benefit groups
The law distinguishes, among others, benefits for medical rehabilitation, for participation in working life, for participation in education and for social participation (§ 76 ff. SGB IX) – these include, for example, personal assistance, mobility benefits, special educational services for children and assistance with housing.
Use of income and assets
Under §§ 135 ff. SGB IX a separate use of income and assets applies, decoupled from the rest of social assistance. The asset allowance is 150 % of the annual reference value under § 18 SGB IV; for 2026, available calculations put this at an allowance of around 71,190 euros – this value should be rechecked against the reference value for the current year. For income, an allowance of 85, 75 or 60 % of the annual amount of the reference value applies, graded by the type of predominant income.
Relationship to long-term care insurance
§ 103 SGB IX governs the relationship between integration assistance and long-term care insurance benefits: for people with disabilities in need of care who receive integration assistance in a form of housing with support services, in certain constellations the integration assistance provider also provides the care benefits, and the care insurance fund pays a flat-rate amount for this.
A question about your situation that this page does not answer? Write to us or use the contact form – we will tell you which office is responsible and what to bring. Free of charge, without individual legal advice.