What is housing benefit (boligstøtte), and how do I get it?

We do not need to use much space to explain that finances as a student can be relatively tight. The student grant does not even cover the rent. Fortunately, there is help available for the latter. That is, the rent.

Housing benefit is a financial subsidy that helps reduce your rent. It is especially relevant for students and low-income groups living in rental housing. The amount of the possible subsidy depends on how many people live in the rental property, your income, and not least the size of your accommodation. Owner-occupied homes and student housing are usually excluded from the scheme.

1. Check if you are eligible: To receive housing benefit, you usually need to have your own kitchen in the accommodation. If you live in a shared apartment or a dorm room without your own kitchen, the wait for financial assistance may be longer. Your income and the size of the accommodation also affect whether you can receive support. Note that you can receive housing benefit if you live in a parent-purchased apartment. The important thing is that you live as a tenant.
2. Application via borger.dk: Housing benefit is applied for digitally through Borger.dk. You need MitID to log in, and then you can follow the instructions to complete the application.
   
3. Provide necessary information: Here, you need to provide details about your rent, housing conditions, and any other income. You may also be asked for documentation in the form of a rental contract, especially if it is your first time applying for support.
   
4. Response from Udbetaling Danmark: Once you have applied, Udbetaling Danmark, which handles the payments, processes your application. Processing time can vary, but in most cases, you will receive a response within a month.

En af de store fordele ved boligstøtte er, at den ikke bliver medregnet i din skattepligtige indkomst. Det betyder, at din boligstøtte ikke får din SU til at skrumpe ind i form af en nedsættelse. Boligstøtten kan derfor fungere som et ekstra tilskud, der gør det nemmere at få enderne til at mødes, især hvis du har en høj husleje i en storby.  

Det er vigtigt at holde Udbetaling Danmark opdateret, hvis der sker ændringer i din husstand. Måske flytter din kæreste ind, eller måske får du et studiejob. Begge dele er noget, der kan påvirke din støtte. Udbetaling Danmark justerer automatisk din boligstøtte, så det er vigtigt, at alle oplysninger er opdaterede. Ellers risikerer du at skulle betale noget støtte tilbage. Og det er jo knap så fedt. 

One of the major advantages of housing benefit is that it is not included in your taxable income. This means that your housing benefit does not reduce your student grant. Therefore, housing benefit can serve as an additional subsidy, making it easier to make ends meet, especially if you have high rent in a big city.

It is important to keep Udbetaling Danmark updated if there are changes in your household. Maybe your partner moves in, or perhaps you get a student job. Both can affect your support. Udbetaling Danmark automatically adjusts your housing benefit, so it is crucial that all information is up to date. Otherwise, you risk having to repay some of the support. And that is not so great.