Waiting for a specialist? How to use Germany’s 116117 line
Doctors warn of longer waits from 2027. If you have statutory insurance, you can already use the free appointment service, provided your referral carries the right code.
Category Life in Germany
Practical news on daily life, integration, education, housing and orientation for living in Germany.
Bavaria kindergarten fees: will the €100 subsidy loss hit you?
From 1 January 2027 nurseries no longer have to deduct €100 from fees. Whether parents pay more is decided locally, and there is plenty to check now.
Elterngeld cut to 12 months is wobbling
Minister Prien is open to keeping 14 months. What applies today, what the summer draft proposed, and what parents should do about their application now.
Car insurance 2027: the 30 November switching deadline
New regional and type classes for 2027 are out. What they mean for Munich-registered cars, when a cancellation must arrive and whether switching insurer is worth it.
Missed Jobcenter appointments: three strikes, then nothing
Since 1 July the rules run in stages: no cut, 30 per cent off, then a full loss of benefits. How to make sure it never gets that far.
Jobcenter rent gap: who paid extra in 2025 and what applies now
Nearly 376,000 households paid an average €129 a month of their own rent in 2025 because the Jobcenter capped it. Stricter rules have applied since July.
Cheaper-building law Gebäudetyp E is stuck in government
In July the draft was declared finished; now ministries talk of “very different views”. What the delay means for builders and renters in Germany.
Zusatzbeitrag 2027: average stays at 2.9 per cent
The official forecast keeps the average supplementary health contribution unchanged for 2027, but what you actually pay still depends on your own fund’s rate.
Bamf defends deportation threat against three-month-old baby
The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees is standing by its deportation threat against a three-month-old girl. The Wiesbaden Administrative Court had temporarily suspended the notice and sharply criticised the approach.
Kindergeld without an application: what changes in 2027
The Bundesrat has approved automatic child benefit. When it starts, who will still have to apply, and whether the rate rises to €267.
Integration courses reopen to Ukrainians: how to apply
Since 1 August BAMF is admitting voluntary participants again, with Section 24 holders first in line. What the course costs and how to apply.
Bahn family ticket: €99.99 for five, from 26 October
Deutsche Bahn’s family ticket returns as a permanent offer. Who can travel, what it costs and who benefits, plus monthly passes 25 per cent cheaper.
Kids online: what Berlin’s new plan means for parents
No social media under 13, age checks from 2027, an online police desk for children: the cabinet adopted key points. What applies now, and what is still open?
Care commission launched: what families will pay now
The federal cabinet decided to set up a care structure commission. It is to present proposals for care in the 2030s by the end of January.
Licence fee: how benefit recipients get an exemption in Germany
People on Grundsicherungsgeld or asylum-seeker benefits do not have to pay the €18.36 broadcasting fee, but only if they apply. Who qualifies, what to enclose and what is refundable.
Heating season: the minimum temperature your landlord owes
Heating must be on since 1 October: 20 to 22°C by day, about 18°C at night. What applies when it's cold, what saving brings and where back payments loom.
Germany’s sugar tax: what fizzy drinks could cost from July 2027
The coalition has agreed two tax bands, 26 and 32 cents a litre. Cabinet is due to decide on Wednesday; what reaches the shelf depends on the manufacturers.
Ukrainian driving licence: swap it for a German one, no tests
Since 18 August, Ukraine is on Annex 11 of the Driving Licence Ordinance. What you need to convert your licence, what it costs and how it works in Munich.
Gas reserve levy: what it would cost households
The Economy Ministry’s draft puts the cost at €3.77 to €7.20 a year for a typical household – about a tenth of the old storage levy.
Ukrainian doctors: new recognition rules from 1 November
From 1 November a knowledge test becomes the default for doctors, dentists and pharmacists trained outside the EU. Applying under the old rules means filing by 31 October.
Germany’s minimum wage hits €14.60 in 2027
From 1 January employers must pay at least €14.60 an hour. What it means for full-time staff and minijobbers, and what to check on your payslip.
Munich nursery places 2027: register by 3 March, new fees ahead
To secure a nursery or kindergarten place for September 2027, Munich parents must register by 3 March. The city also plans new, income-based fees.
Flu jab in Bavaria: who pays and when to get it
Bavarian health insurers pay for the flu jab for everyone with statutory cover. Getting it in October or November protects you before the winter rise.
Health insurance 2027: your deadline to switch if rates rise
The 2027 forecast lands mid-October. If your insurer raises its rate you can switch, but only within a short window, and a warning letter is no longer required.
Bavaria will part-pay a family holiday: up to €19.50 a day
The state subsidises stays in recognised family holiday houses. Book before your application is confirmed and you lose the grant – here is how it works.
Clocks Go Back on 25 October: What to Know, Especially With Kids
Germany returns to winter time in the night to 25 October. What happens to long-distance trains and S-Bahn, how to ease children into it, and why the EU still hasn't scrapped the clock change.
Early-Start Pension: €10 a Month for Children – Who Gets It
The state plans €10 a month for every child turning six in 2026. What the bill says, who it leaves out, and what parents should not do just yet.
Munich Education Package: Up to €375 per Child a Year
School supplies, club fees, lunches, tutoring: families on basic income support, housing benefit or child supplement can claim – often without a separate application.
Ukrainians’ protection status to 2028: what applies now
EU protection for Ukrainians now runs to March 2028. Those already in Germany need do nothing; men arriving from now on face a new proof requirement.
Germany’s Kita bill: language checks at four, €9.25bn
The Bundestag takes up Karin Prien’s childcare bill: mandatory development checks for four-year-olds, extra staff for hard-pressed Kitas – and a row over money.
Wohngeld 2027: Why applying this year matters
Heating component halved, increase scrapped: the Bundestag debates the housing benefit reform today. Which deadlines now decide your payment.
Deutschlandticket rises to €66.80 in January: what to do now
A formula, not political haggling, now sets the price for the first time. What it means for subscriptions, Jobticket and student tickets – and the cancellation deadline.
EV grant in Germany: up to €6,000 — who qualifies and how to apply
A new plug-in car can bring up to €6,000 from the state — but you need a BundID, recent tax assessments and must keep the car for 36 months.
Child benefit 2027: €267 and less paperwork
Child benefit is set to rise to €267 in 2027, sometimes without an application. What the tax reform means for families, who pays, and what is undecided.
Retirement at 67.5? The case against linking pensions to lifespan
A commission wants Germany’s retirement age to rise with life expectancy after 2031. Government data show why the average is a shaky yardstick for everyone.
Rent Report 2026: Housing Costs Rise for 58 Percent of Tenants
According to the 2026 Rent Report by the German Tenants' Association, housing costs have risen for 58 percent of tenants in Germany. The association speaks of a social state crisis and warns against planned cuts to housing benefits.
Adult Education in Berlin: Community Colleges Stabilize
Berlin's first adult education report shows that community college offerings have grown, with language courses dominating. In 2024, around 24,500 courses were offered — significantly more than in 2021, according to the Senate Department.
Wiesbaden housing project: Community against loneliness
The 'Communal Living' project in the Wiesbaden district of Bierstadt is nearing completion. The waiting list for the 37 apartments is long.
Only 6 Percent of Households: Why Germany Has So Few Air Conditioners
Only six percent of German households have an air conditioner – a fraction compared to the US, where about 90 percent do. Behind this is a mix of building design, tenancy law, and climate change, as DW reports.
Citizen’s Benefit Becomes Basic Security: More Pressure and Sanctions from July
Starting July 1, the citizen's benefit will be renamed to 'basic security for job seekers.' With the reform, pressure and sanctions for employable long-term unemployed individuals will increase.