Support for Single Mothers – The Ten Most Important Grants for Separated Mothers

Top 10 grants and support schemes for single mothers in Germany

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1. Unterhaltsvorschuss – advance child maintenance

A state benefit for children up to the age of 18 when the other parent (usually the father) pays no or very irregular child support.
The child is the beneficiary, and the payment is handled by the Youth Welfare Office (Jugendamt) (caritas.de).

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2. Mehrbedarf für Alleinerziehende – additional needs for single parents

On top of Bürgergeld or other social benefits, single parents receive an extra allowance (“Mehrbedarf”) to compensate for the higher costs of running a one-parent household.
This is usually included automatically in the benefit calculation (bmfsfj.de).

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3. Kinderzuschlag – child supplement for low-income families

The child supplement supports parents with low income who do not receive Bürgergeld, but whose income is just above basic security.

• Up to €297 per child per month

• Can be combined with child benefit (Kindergeld) and housing benefit (Wohngeld) (bmfsfj.de).

It is meant to prevent families from slipping into Bürgergeld solely because of their children.

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4. Wohngeld – housing benefit for rent or owner-occupiers

Wohngeld is an income-related subsidy towards housing costs:

• For tenants as rent allowance (Mietzuschuss),

• For owner-occupiers as burden allowance (Lastenzuschuss).

It can be received together with Kinderzuschlag, provided the family is not on Bürgergeld or Sozialhilfe.

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5. Bildungspaket / participation package – education and leisure support

Via the “Leistungen für Bildung und Teilhabe (BuT)” children from low-income families can get support for:

• School trips and excursions

• School supplies and equipment

• Private tutoring (Nachhilfe)

• Sports clubs, music schools and cultural activities

• Transport to school and school meals

Depending on individual need, benefits can amount to up to roughly €150 per month per child.

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6. Entlastungsbetrag für Alleinerziehende – tax relief for single parents

Single parents are entitled to a special tax allowance (“Entlastungsbetrag für Alleinerziehende”):

• Up to €4,260 per year for the first child (according to de.wikipedia.org, subject to legal changes),

• Applies to children living in the same household with an entitlement to child benefit.

This allowance reduces the taxable income and thus the amount of income tax.

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7. Childcare cost subsidies – support for daycare and after-school care

Through the Jugendamt, the municipality or daycare providers, single mothers can obtain partial or full exemption from daycare fees or after-school care costs, particularly when:

• The household income is low,

• Employment, training or integration into the labour market is only possible with childcare.

Exact rules vary between federal states and municipalities; often there are fee reductions or complete waivers (sparkasse.de).

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8. Haushaltshilfe bei Krankheit – household help when you are ill

If a single mother becomes ill, undergoes surgery or rehabilitation and is temporarily unable to look after the household and children, the statutory health insurance can cover the cost of a household helper.

Typical requirements:

• Medical certificate,

• At least one minor child in the household,

• No other person able to provide care reliably (sparkasse.de).

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9. Maternity benefit and parental allowance – financial protection around childbirth

• Maternity benefit (Mutterschaftsgeld):
  Paid during the legally protected weeks before and after birth, usually through health insurance and the employer.

• Parental allowance (Elterngeld):
  Paid after childbirth, typically for 12–14 months, with options such as ElterngeldPlus.
  Single parents may be eligible for more months of Elterngeld if they bear the main responsibility for childcare (de.wikipedia.org).

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10. Cures & mothers’ convalescence – health and psychological relief

In cases of severe exhaustion, burnout or health issues, single mothers can apply through their health insurance for a mother cure or mother-child cure, for example via:

• Facilities of Müttergenesungswerk,

• Specialised rehabilitation clinics.

These stays provide several weeks of medical, psychological and social support to help regain strength and stability (bild.de).

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Quick procedural guide

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Practical tips

• Start with benefits that directly ease your budget: Unterhaltsvorschuss, Kinderzuschlag, Wohngeld.

• Make use of the tax relief for single parents (Entlastungsbetrag) – it can significantly reduce your tax load.

• Keep all relevant documents (birth certificates, rental contracts, income proofs) well-organised.

• Inform each authority (Jugendamt, Jobcenter, health insurer) immediately when your situation changes.

• Use local counselling services such as Jugendamt, Caritas, Diakonie, AWO or the federal Familienportal to find additional regional support.

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The editorial team strives to provide accurate, carefully researched information based on multiple reputable sources. However, legal rules, benefit amounts and eligibility criteria may change, and errors or outdated details cannot be fully ruled out. Please therefore treat this article as an initial guide only and always contact the competent authorities or a qualified counselling centre for up-to-date and binding advice.