Climate Bonus for Low-Income Families After the New Heating Law

“Klimabonus” in the new heating law: Targeted support for climate-friendly heating

1. What does “Klimabonus” mean in the context of the new heating law?

In this context, the term Klimabonus refers to a specific financial incentive aimed at promoting the replacement or optimisation of heating systems in residential buildings – it is not the same as other forms of “energy grants”.
The core purpose is to help households, especially low-income households, cope with the costs of switching to eco-friendly heating solutions such as heat pumps (klima-agence.lu).

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2. Who is eligible for this income-related bonus (Einkommensbonus)?

An additional income bonus (Einkommensbonus) of 30 % on top of the basic subsidy is granted to households

• whose annual taxable income is ≤ 40,000 €, or

• ≤ 80,000 € for married couples / jointly assessed couples,

if they replace a traditional heating system with clean technology during the period from 2024 to 2028 (heizungsfinder.de).

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3. What are the current support rates?

The total possible subsidy can reach up to 70 % of the eligible expenses, structured as follows:

• Basic support: 30 %

• + Climate speed bonus (Klimageschwindigkeitsbonus): +20 %

• + Income bonus (Einkommensbonus): +30 % (for those who meet the income threshold)

The subsidy is granted up to a maximum of 30,000 € in eligible costs (heizungsfinder.de).

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4. What other types of bonuses exist?

In addition to the Klimabonus and the income-related bonus, there are:

• An efficiency bonus (Effizienzbonus) of 5 % when installing a particularly efficient heat pump,

• A “speed-up” bonus of 20 % for those who opt for an advanced heating system instead of an old, eligible system (bmwsb.bund.de, heizungsfinder.de).

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5. Who benefits the most?

• Low- to middle-income households that need to replace outdated heating systems but want to keep their own contribution manageable.

• New property owners, particularly owners of single-family homes or private residential property, are among the main beneficiaries.

• Anyone who needs extensive upgrades such as ventilation systems or solar thermal heating, as these can be included in the total eligible project costs.

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6. Why does this matter?

• It reflects a government approach that links climate commitments with social protection, reducing the financial burden on those who need support most (medium.com).

• It encourages households to move more rapidly towards cleaner heating technologies by providing a robust financial safety net.

• The Klimabonus thus represents both an ecological and a tangible economic benefit for households.

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Financial summary:

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7. Application steps

8. Verify household income using tax returns for the last two years.

9. Consult a certified energy advisor to document the technical measures and eligible costs.

10. Submit a funding application via KfW or BAFA under the BEG EM (individual measures) programme.

11. Attach evidence of the old and new heating systems as well as all relevant technical invoices.

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The editorial team of this website strives to provide accurate information based on thorough research and consultation of multiple sources. However, errors may occur or some details may be incomplete or not fully verified. Therefore, please treat the information in this article as a preliminary reference and always consult the competent authorities and professional institutions for binding, up-to-date information.