Härtefallhilfe für private Haushalte für nicht leitungsgebundene Energieträger Gewährung

Administrative agreement Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection / Länder

Note BMWK: The administrative agreement has not been published and is not accessible. We refer to the FAQ of the federal government on the aid and are happy to answer any questions.

Following the introduction of the gas price brake for gas and district heating customers, private households that heat with energy sources such as heating oil or wood pellets can also benefit.

Due to the sharp rise in additional costs for non-grid-connected energy sources, the federal government has made funding of up to 1.8 billion euros available, which will be distributed among the federal states according to a distribution formula. Applications are submitted and processed via the federal states or their approval office using an online platform.

The hardship grants are available to private households in the Federal Republic of Germany that use non-pipeline-based energy sources for heating. The hardship aid is intended to cushion the additional costs for these energy sources in 2022 that exceed a doubling of the price level from 2021. It is therefore not a question of doubling the individual procurement costs, but of doubling them compared to the average value for 2021, the so-called reference price. The following reference prices were determined by the federal government for the whole of Germany

• Heating oil: 71 ct/l (incl. VAT)
• Liquid gas: 57 ct/l (incl. VAT)
• Wood pellets: 24 ct/kg (incl. VAT)
• Wood chips: 11 ct/kg (incl. VAT)
• Wood briquettes: 28 ct/kg (incl. VAT)
• Logs: 85 Euro/meter (incl. VAT)
• Coal/coke: 36 ct/kg (incl. VAT)

Of the costs that exceed a doubling of the costs compared to 2021, affected private households will be reimbursed 80% for the respective energy source, provided the amount is more than 100 euros and does not exceed 2,000 euros.

The subsidy amount is calculated using the following formula
Subsidy= 0.8 x (invoice amount 2022 - 2x (reference price x order quantity))
Relief is available to households living in their own property, as well as tenants. The property must be heated by a heating system that does not use grid-bound energy sources.

Invoices from private households from the period from January 1, 2022 to December 1, 2022 can be taken into account when applying for hardship assistance. The delivery date is decisive in determining whether the costs were incurred during the relief period.

Operators of a fireplace (heating system) are eligible to apply. The application for hardship assistance for private households must be submitted by the person who operates the heating system in a residential building and purchases the energy source. If the fireplace is operated by a private household, a person from the private household may submit an application as the direct applicant.

If fireplaces for heating private households are operated centrally by a landlord, a landlady or a condominium association (WEG), they are eligible to apply as central applicants. A declaration must be made that the funding received will be passed on to the tenants.

As a tenant, you do not have to take action yourself unless you have ordered and paid for fuel yourself.

• Fuel invoice(s) from the period 01.01.2022 up to and including 01.12.2022
• Proof of payment proving payment of the fuel (e.g. bank statement)
• Proof of identity
• Fireplace certificate

• You are the owner or tenant of a property with a non-piped fireplace and purchased heating oil, LPG, wood pellets, wood chips, wood briquettes, logs and/or coal/coke between 01.01. and 01.12.2022 and paid more than twice the reference price.
• The de minimis limit is 100 euros, which you must at least reach in order to receive a relief payment. The maximum total relief amount is 2,000 euros per household.

None

• Submit your application online via the application platform directly in the federal state in which the fireplace is located.
• If you do not have internet access or are unable to submit an application via the online platform for other reasons, you can ask another person to assist you with the application. This person can submit an application on your behalf.
• In exceptional cases, the granting authorities of the federal states may also accept written applications. Please contact your local grant office.
• After you have submitted an application, the granting office will check your application and, if approved, will arrange for payment.

Depending on the actual volume of applications, a processing time of several weeks is expected.

You can apply for hardship assistance until 20.10.2023. Please note that a total of up to 1.8 billion euros is available for hardship assistance. If the available funds are exhausted, hardship assistance can no longer be approved and paid out.

FAQs from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection on "Hardship aid for private households due to sharp increases in energy costs for non-grid-connected energy sources"

https://www.bmwk.de/Redaktion/DE/FAQ/H%C3%A4rtefallhilfen-Privathaushalte-Energiekosten/haertefallhilfen-privathaushalte-energiekosten.html

Fact sheet: Hardship assistance for private households due to a sharp rise in energy costs for non-grid-connected energy sources

https://www.bmwk.de/Redaktion/DE/Downloads/M-O/Merkblaetter/merkblatt-haertefallhilfen-privathaushalte-energiekosten

Heating cost relief calculator

https://www.bundesregierung.de/breg-de/themen/heizkostenentlastungsrechner

You can use the online calculator to check without obligation whether you are eligible to apply and how much fuel assistance you would receive.

The administrative agreement between the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) and the federal states has not been published. For further information, please refer to the FAQs on "Hardship aid for private households due to sharp increases in energy costs for non-pipeline energy sources" on the BMWK website.

You will find information on the legal remedy in your notification.

• Hardship aid for private households for non-grid-connected energy sources
• Relief period from January 1, 2022 to December 1, 2022.
• A doubling of the 2021 price level for non-pipeline-based energy sources must be borne by the household.
• In addition, reimbursement of 80% of the additional costs.
• At least 100 euros and up to 2,000 euros subsidy per private household.
• Applications and payments are made via a digital application procedure of the respective state.
• Private households that operate a fireplace and meet the requirements are eligible to apply.
• Landlords submit a joint application for each residential building.
• Tenants generally do not have to submit an application unless they have ordered and paid for fuel themselves.
• Responsible: Authorization offices of the federal states