Housing and healthcare benefits for hospitality workers in Germany

If you work in hospitality in Germany – for example as a cook, chef, kitchen assistant,
service staff, cleaner, bar staff or hotel employee – you may be entitled to financial
support related to housing and healthcare. On this page we explain the main
housing and healthcare benefits for hospitality workers in Germany.

1. Wohngeld – housing support in Germany

Germany does not have a rent allowance like the Netherlands, but it does offer
Wohngeld. This is an income-related contribution towards rent for tenants with
low or middle incomes.

How does Wohngeld work?

• You must be officially registered in Germany.
• You need a valid rental contract in your own name.
• Your income must stay below a certain threshold
  (depending on region, household size and rent level).
• The application is handled by the local Wohngeld office
  (usually via the municipality or city).

Important points for hospitality workers

• Irregular working hours and variable income are allowed,
  as long as you can provide payslips.
• If you live in staff accommodation with an official rental contract,
  you may still be eligible for Wohngeld.
• The amount varies per federal state and city;
  higher rent and lower income generally mean higher support.

➜ Official information about Wohngeld (German government):

Wohngeld – information from the German government

2. Healthcare in Germany – statutory health insurance (Krankenkasse)

Health insurance (Krankenkasse) is mandatory in Germany.
Most employees are insured through the
statutory health insurance system.

Key points for hospitality employees

• Contributions are automatically deducted from your salary;
  both employer and employee pay a share.
• You are covered for GP visits, hospital care, medicines
  and basic medical treatments.
• In many cases, partners and children can be insured
  at no extra cost (family insurance).

Why this counts as a healthcare benefit

• There is no separate healthcare allowance like in the Netherlands,
  because contributions are income-related.
• With a lower income, you pay less while still receiving full basic coverage.
• Additional private insurance (Zusatzversicherung) is optional,
  not mandatory.

➜ General information about statutory health insurance:

Statutory health insurance – overview

3. What do these benefits mean in practice?

For many hospitality workers in Germany:

• Wohngeld can significantly reduce monthly housing costs.
• The statutory health insurance provides automatic and solid coverage
  without the need to apply for separate allowances.

This makes Germany attractive for European hospitality workers who:

• have a permanent contract or a longer seasonal placement, and
• want to live and work in Germany on a stable basis.

4. How do you apply for support in Germany?

Wohngeld (housing support)

• Find the Wohngeld office of your municipality or city.
• Bring your rental contract, registration certificate,
  payslips and, if applicable, residence documents.
• If needed, ask a colleague or local contact for help with the forms,
  which are often only available in German.

Health insurance (Krankenkasse)

• With a German employment contract, your employer usually registers you
  directly with a Krankenkasse.
• You will receive a health insurance card (Gesundheitskarte)
  to use at doctors and hospitals.
• Switching to another Krankenkasse is possible after a minimum contract period.

5. Germany in the European context

On our overview page
Hospitality benefits in Europe
you can see how Germany compares with the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria,
Ireland, Spain and the United Kingdom when it comes to housing and healthcare benefits.

6. Join our international community

Want to learn more about living, working, renting, insurance and salaries in European hospitality?
Join our community:

Chefs from Europe – Work Abroad (Official Group)