What is a joint household?

The legal term "household receiving benefits" is important when applying for citizens' benefit. Although it includes the word "community", the following applies: The applicant alone is already considered a household receiving benefits.

If they live with other people and everyone takes on mutual responsibility for each other, they form a household receiving benefits together. The legal term is therefore usually applied to...

spouses who are not permanently separated,
registered same-sex partners who are not permanently separated, or
persons in a community of responsibility and support ("marriage-like community").

The household receiving benefits also includes children who live in the household and are under 25 years old. The condition is that they are unmarried, able to work, and cannot support themselves from their own income. Children's income includes, for example, child benefit or maintenance payments.

Conversely, if an unmarried child who is able to work and is at least 15 but under 25 years old applies for benefits under SGB II, the parents or parent living in the household are also part of the household receiving benefits.