📞 Advice and points of contact
In brief
The Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Wohnungslosenhilfe (BAG W) is a nationwide professional association – not an authority – that pools providers and information. Legally, most specialist advice centres are based on §§ 67 ff. SGB XII. Alongside specialist advice centres there are day centres (warmth, showers, post, advice during the day) and outreach street social work for people who do not seek out an advice centre on their own.
Step by step
- Find a specialist advice centreLook for the nearest specialist advice centre for housing emergencies, e.g. via the BAG W directory or the service databases of Diakonie or Caritas.
- Use a day centreUse a day centre for basic needs (warmth, showers, washing clothes, post).
- Approach street social workApproach outreach street social work if the way to an advice centre is too far or too stressful.
- Find specialised providersFor specific concerns (debt, addiction, health, violence), ask specifically about specialised providers.
- Use independent adviceIf you are dissatisfied with an authority's decision, involve independent social or legal advice.
Deadlines
- The BAG Wohnungslosenhilfe is a nationwide professional association and not an authority – it cannot itself decide on benefits, but pools providers and information.
- The range of specialist advice centres, day centres and street social work is developed very differently from place to place – a nationwide minimum standard could not be verified in this research.
- Specialist advice centres are legally generally a mandatory service in principle (§§ 67 ff. SGB XII), but the specific design is at the provider's discretion – there is no entitlement to a particular facility or adviser.
In depth · legal basis, figures and practice – for advisers and professionals
Provider landscape
Providers of specialist advice centres, day centres and street social work are predominantly welfare associations (Diakonie, Caritas, Deutsches Rotes Kreuz, Arbeiterwohlfahrt, city missions) and in part the municipalities themselves. The legal basis of funding is generally §§ 67 ff. SGB XII in conjunction with municipal or state funding programmes; no uniform nationwide funding structure exists.
The role of the BAG Wohnungslosenhilfe
The BAG Wohnungslosenhilfe (BAG W) is the nationwide professional association for homeless assistance. It does not perform sovereign tasks, but publishes professional positions, statistics (extrapolation on homelessness) and a directory of advice services that can help in finding a local point of contact.
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.